Vitro launches hospital software to move patients’ medical files

DUBLIN-BASED Vitro Software has launched a new product in Ireland aimed at helping hospitals to transfer the medical records of patients easily between different facilities.

The software, called PIM, or people in motion, is already used by Vitro’s worldwide client base. The service will cost from €1 per patient and the company said that compares favourably to current methods of transferring paper-based records, which often amount to an €8 registered post fee or considerably more for couriers or taxis.

Irish patients are now moving between hospitals in unprecedented numbers as hospital capacity is severely reduced by Covid-19, the company said. Medical records need to follow these patients but there is currently no consistent, secure and efficient method of record sharing in place across the health service, it said.

The routine movement by registered post, courier or taxi raised issues of patient privacy, security of records and now a contamination risk via handling of paper records in a hospital environment, claimed the company.

“To deliver the best care they can, clinicians need all relevant patient medical history at their fingertips,” said Vitro chief executive David Nash.

“Inputting of data takes the same amount of time as the current photocopying does but once done it never has to be repeated and is available digitally across any hospital. Importantly hospitals don’t need to change their recording systems,” he said.