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Information Technology

GPIT Section

IT Questions & Answers

Browse our searchable repository of frequently asked IT questions and answers at www.gpit.ie/faq.

The National General Practice Information Technology (GPIT) Project

The Health Service Executive and the Irish College of General Practitioners came together at the end of 2006 to restructure and reactivate the National General Practice Information Technology (GPIT) Group. There are two parts to the group, an educational section headed by Dr Brian Meade with 10 GPIT facilitators around the country, and a projects section with Dr Brian O'Mahony as project manager.

Education

The GPIT training programme provides advice and support to GPs on all issues relating to information technology in the practice. The programme is run by Dr Brian Meade and is delivered by a network of ten GP facilitators spread across the country (see below). The facilitators are all experienced GPs who have successfully introduced electronic patient records into their practices and therefore are very familiar with the many issues involved.

HSE Dublin / Mid Leinster
Dr Donal Buckley
Dr Fergus McKeagney		 HSE Dublin / North East
Dr Martin White
Dr Anne Lynott
HSE Southern Area
Dr John Cox
Dr Frank Hill
Dr Kieran Murphy		 HSE Western Area
Dr Jack MacCarthy
Dr Barry O'Donovan
Dr John Sweeney

As well as providing support to practices the facilitators also:

  • Help set up and support local GP software user groups for GPs.
  • Provide training to a number of ICGP courses.
  • Provide training to the GP Vocational Training Programmes.
  • Sit on a number of national and regional committees involved in defining IT policy and standards.

If you are interested in finding out more about the GPIT Training Programme or wish to avail of help from one of the facilitators please e-mail Dr Brian Meade at brian.meade@icgp.ie or phone Niamh Killeen on 01 6763705.

Projects

The projects section is headed up by Dr Brian O'Mahony and includes the following activities:

Project Tasks During past 12 Months

  • Certification of GP Practice Software Management Systems.
  • Working with Healthlink and the National Cancer Control Programme on electronic cancer referrals from GP practice software systems.
  • Working with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on a GP Messaging Standard, available at http://www.hiqa.ie.
  • Communicating the needs of GPs and primary care to developers of information systems throughout the health services.
  • Promoting interoperability and health informatics standards in the health services.
  • Writing monthly IT questions and answers for Forum, the Journal of the Irish College of General Practitioners, available at http://www.gpit.ie/faq.

Dr O'Mahony is keen to hear from individuals and groups who wish to input into the certification process or any of the project activities of the GPIT Group. Please contact Niamh Killeen of the ICGP with comments and queries, email niamh.killeen@icgp.ie or phone 01 6763705.