Due to an IT glitch that occurred on Tuesday, the Mater Hospital has called upon the public to steer clear of its accident and emergency department (A&E), seeing as the access to patients’ digital health documents at the hospital has been disconnected. Due to this technical glitch, the hospital voiced that patients attending the A&E bearing non-critical conditions would probably face extended wait times.
However, the hospital reassured that those who are in dire need of emergency medical attention will be catered to, and such patients are advised not to delay in seeking care. In cases where it’s viable, the Mater recommends patients with non-emergency conditions to utilise other healthcare sectors like other minor injuries units or their local GP, as per the hospital statement.
The origin of the IT problems remains undetermined, and it appears to have surfaced earlier on Tuesday. The Rapid Injury Clinic of the Mater, situated in Smithfield Square, north Dublin, is momentarily shut due to the said system problems. The hospital clarified that the IT issues have not disrupted outpatient appointments.
The hospital extended its apologies to the public for the inconvenience and assured its patients that they are doing their utmost to rectify the problem as swiftly as possible.