Technology for ‘virtual clinics’ being rolled out across country


Technology for 'virtual clinics' being rolled out across country

Technology which allows doctors to provide virtual consultations is being rolled out across the country in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The technology, developed by NuaHealth, will allow doctors and clinicians to provide a virtual clinic and offer online consultations to their patients via smartphone, tablet and computer.

It will allow members of the public who believe they have coronavirus symptoms to see their GP from the comfort of their home.

More than 360 clinicians nationwide have already signed up to use the service, which was developed following consultation with the Department of Health and HSE.

Available in App Stores, including iOS and Android, the NuaHealth service can be used on any laptop or desktop computer with a camera, speaker and microphone. it is titled: HSE Video Consultation Service and is free of charge.

NuaHealth chief executive Oisin Kim said Ireland’s health service was facing an unprecedented challenge in trying to stop the spread of the virus and warned that things are likely to get worse in the coming weeks.

“Everyone is coming together to help slow the spread of Covid-19. The agility shown by both Apple and Google in fast-tracking the app through the app stores review process with help from local Apple and Google people, was astounding,” he said.

Dr Nick Flynn of MyCorkGP.ie said the crisis had changed his practice “beyond recognition in the last 10 days”.

“Central to facilitating that change has been the addition of a video consultation solution from NuaHealth. User friendly, secure and provided at cost price, it has proven popular with our GPs but more importantly with our patients,” he said.

HSE Digital Transformation Director Prof Martin Curley said the technology was a great exemple “of how the digital health ecosystem in Ireland is responding to the Covid 19 crisis”.

NuaHealth is the sister company of Webdoctor, which already supports the needs of over 750,000 patients throughout Europe.


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