University Maternity Hospital Limerick has gone live with the national maternal & newborn clinical management system, replacing their paper-based records with the electronic health record.
According to the Health Service Executive Mid West, UMHL is now the fifth hospital in Ireland to have implemented this system as part of a national initiative, which is aimed at improving communication across the hospital, providing real-time access to patient information and “supporting safer, more coordinated care for women and newborns”.
The phased roll-out of the MN-CMS system originally began in 2016 and has already been introduced to Cork University Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Kerry, the Rotunda Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital. Plans are now in place to implement the EHR in the 14 remaining hospitals across the region, as part of HSE’s commitment to provide “safe, integrated and person-centred care.”
Speaking on the launch of the new system at UMHL, the clinical director of maternal & child health, HSE Mid West, Dr Mendinaro Imcha, said: “The MN-CMS is a major step forward in enhancing safe, coordinated, and evidence-based care across UMHL. It ensures a more seamless experience for women and families, with stronger communication and decision-making support for our teams.”
The hospital has already noted a number of significant benefits that come from using the MN-CMS electronic health, including patient safety, improved decision-making, a reduction in document duplication, more seamless care and communication, data-driven management and more secure information sharing, they stated.
In other EHR news for the region, UPMC Ireland recently selected MEDITECH Expanse as the electronic health record to be used across multiple sites, allowing them to “streamline operations and support future innovation” in four hospitals, two cancer centres and six sports medicine clinics.
Digital innovation across Ireland
Earlier in the year, the HSE Health App was launched in Ireland, offering patients a “digital front door” to health services. A phased rollout was outlined with the first phase focused on introducing functionality such as the ability to view maternity service appointments, create and carry a digital list of self-declared medications, store European Health Insurance Card information and to access flu and COVID-19 vaccination records. Further functionality will reportedly be introduced throughout 2025.
Health Innovation Hub Ireland recently announced the launch of a new national initiative known as HIHI.AI Call 2025, which is said to support the “development and testing of AI solutions that can make a real impact in Ireland’s healthcare system”. As part of the initiative, HIHI has been looking for input from companies, startups, researchers, clinicians and industry leaders who are already focused on developing AI-powered healthcare solutions.
In May of this year, Mike Nesbitt, Minister of Health for Northern Ireland, shared details of a £61 million investment in GP services, aimed at supporting primary care reform and expanding the primary care MDT programme. A two-phase approach was outlined, with the funding being used for the completion of the model in the seven existing areas by 2028/29, as well as plans to expand into five new GP Federation areas.
