Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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1784. To ask the Minister for Health the indicative timelines in respect of the procurement process for the digitalisation of medical records in Irish hospitals; if she will provide anticipated dates for the commencement of each stage of the process; the anticipated completion dates and estimated budget for the overall project; the current status regarding progress on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58570/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The health system has already successfully deployed electronic health record (EHR) systems in several Irish hospitals. These include the deployment of an enterprise EHR system at St. James Hospital Dublin (largest hospital in Ireland), the MN-CMS system in all of our large maternity hospitals, clinical management systems at the new National Forensics Hospital and the new National Rehabilitation Hospital. The most extensive enterprise EHR system to date has been procured and is being deployed at the new Childrens Hospital. Private hospitals are alsi onvesting in EHR system deployments currently.

Recognising the typical lead times associated with procuring and deploying enterprise EHR systems across hospitals, the Digital for Care strategic framework proposed a three step process towards delivery of digital health records. This include the national HSE Health App, the National Shared Care Record and the enterprise EHR systems across each health region (hospitals and community).

The HSE Health App went live in Feb 2025 and is now preparing for its fourth release. Release three provided patients with access to hospital appointments (for all hospitals running the iPMS Patient Admin System). The technology platform and services needed to deliver the National Shared Care record was procured in 2024 with contracts signed in Q1 2025. The preliminary business case for the national, enterprise level EHR system has been developed and has completed the independent external assurance process and major projects advisory group review, in accordance with Government infrastructure guidelines and in preparation for procurement in 2026. Deployment of enterprise level EHR systems is typically a multi annual programme but in the meantime we continue to invest in key hospital system and critical technical infrastructure such as universal wifi access and measures to increase cyber resilience.