Communications and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt yesterday called for an IT healthcare system that integrates a patient record database that is fully accessible to all health professionals and even the patients themselves.

Dr Gatt was speaking at the Malta National Healthcare Leadership Forum organised by ACS Healthcare Solutions in collaboration with the US Embassy.

The minister spoke about the importance of implementing an IT system that links and provides information not only to nurses and doctors but even private practitioners and patients.

The IT system in Mater Dei Hospital is a stepping-stone. “We need to be clear about what we want and need from our IT system,” he said.

Doctors and nurses are very territorial and the main problem in Mater Dei is that each one wants a personal IT system.

“Money was wasted on these systems but the government put its foot down. We have to think about the needs of the general practitioner and the patients and not only those of nurses and doctors,” said Dr Gatt.

Investing in IT systems is not about a product but about integrating information, he explained. Technology is all about the type of service you want over a number of years.

“Unless IT systems are not automatically upgraded, then investment in these systems should not take place,” said Dr Gatt.

However, he added, government’s red tape usually leads to an investment in systems and not services.

The patient’s record database has to form part of one major system that can be accessed by everyone, said Dr Gatt.

The forum was also addressed by the parliamentary secretary for health, Joe Cassar.