He said that an information system called Trakcare was being introduced at the General Hospital in which an electronic record is being created of a patient’s medical history.
‘We have recently started ordering X-rays and blood tests with the system and in the future it will be used to issue prescriptions,’ he said.
At the moment, both electronic and paper systems need to co-exist while preparations are being made.
Dr Mitchell said that in recent years, GPs had been working with a digital system called EMIS that they are switching to with the aim of enabling medical staff to share information via a central server.
‘This system, in which patient data will be stored digitally, will be very useful for patients who have changed their GP, or are seen by a different GP from their own when they are ill out of hours, or are attending the Accident and Emergency Department at the General Hospital,’ he said.
He added that there were ongoing discussions to link the systems further through a person-centred record system.
This would enable patients to have control of their own health information that they could share with health professionals.
‘Some of us would like to see the control of health data moved from professionals to the individual, so that the patient decides who should have access to their medical information, not the organisation,’ he said.
Among the benefits of making this data more mobile for patients, he said, was its availability for people while they were on holiday, or being referred to a UK specialist.
‘A person-centred record system allows the electronic information to follow patients and saves them from having to carry large files of notes. It also helps prevent duplication of tests.’
He added that the UK Government had recommended that everyone in the UK be connected on such an electronic system within five years.
‘I think we are probably ahead in that respect because it is difficult to quickly introduce such a system within large populations,’ he said.
A great believer in the value of digital technology in the field of health, Dr Mitchell said that an example of how the latest technology can benefit Islanders was a project held last year involving the heart testing of almost 1,000 members of the public.
Those people came forward when offered a free check by qualified nurses and doctors during Heart Rhythm Week.
The heart screening took place at the General Hospital using hand-held ECG technology called AliveCor that is attached to a mobile phone.
Of the 989 people tested, 23 were found to have previously undetected heart abnormalities.
Dr Mitchell, who is to present the results of that research at the European Heart Rhythm Meeting in Nice, said they were hoping to hold a larger heart-testing study at a bigger venue in the Island next year.
