Coronavirus: NuaHealth to enable online consultations for GPs

Technology developed by Irish company NuaHealth is being made available to doctors around the country as to GPs around the country in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Doctors and clinicans can use the platform to hold virtual clinics, offering online consultations through smartphones, tablets and computers. The company is hoping it will allow members of the public who believe they have coronavirus symptoms to see their GP without leaving home.

The online doctor service comes following consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE.

"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," said NuaHealth chief executive Oisin Kim.

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More than 360 clinicians nationwide already use the service.

"We are pleased to partner with NuaHealth to produce a HSE branded video consultation tool for GPs and other healthcare providers in a matter of days," said HSE Digital Transformation Director Prof. Martin Curley. "Their agility and the willingness to offer the service at cost price is a great exemplar of how the digital health ecosystem in Ireland is responding to the Covid 19 crisis."

Nuahealth is a sister company of WebDoctor, which offers online doctor appointments to patients.

Service

Meanwhile, healthcare technology company, Clanwilliam Health, said it would expand its electronic prescription notification service, eScript, throughout the Republic of Ireland, and also revealed plans to accelerate the roll-out of its video consultation service for doctors.

The eScript service, which has 705 GPs and 445 pharmacies already signed up, sends a secure notification of the prescription details from the GP’s computer to the patient’s pharmacy. Patients can then be notified by text when their prescription is ready.

The consultation service will allow GPs and consultants to speak to patients and triage them without the need to bring them into the clinic. Clanwilliam said it would be available for free to GPs, private consultants and pharmacies throughout theAn automatic text message can also be sent to the patient once the prescription is ready for collection.

"The impact of COVID-19 is widespread across the country and we know that during this time our healthcare professionals are under enormous pressure. While the focus is on flattening the curve and stopping the spread of the virus, there are still people who need contact with their medical professionals to treat other minor illnesses and in other cases support them with existing conditions," said Eileen Byrne, managing director of Clanwilliam Health. " Through the range of services we're announcing today we want to help the healthcare sector at this time, and particularly GPs and pharmacists, to help them meet their patients' needs while still practicing the advice of social distancing."