Single Sign On (SSO)

Introduction 

The accelerated advances in technology in recent years have positively impacted the Irish Health Service in terms of the availability of computer systems to support the delivery of healthcare. A number of national Programmes and Strategies have been initiated to harness this technology. HSE Information Technology team has made significant strides in recent years in working towards the achievement of delivering digital health systems.

Solution

With this increase in available solutions there are challenges, one of which is an increase in the administrative tasks associated with system access. This can prove to be cumbersome for clinicians who may have to keep up to eight unique passwords to access their systems. To help staff access systems in a more efficient way the HSE is introducing Single Sign On, this will allow staff to just tap their ID badge and they will have instant access to all clinical systems. Single Sign On will deliver integrated, patient-centred care, more effective and safer delivery of health services. Health professionals will have ready access to clinical records and administrative information, which will enable better decisions to be made.

Conclusion

The Single Sign On project will implement the solution across the Irish public health and social care system to provide a digital workplace to enable health service professionals to operate in a modern, digitised environment in line with Sláintecare Implementation Plan. The Single Sign On solution will enable clinicians and other staff who legitimately access patient records electronically, to move between computer systems without the need to log into solutions more than once and without the need to repeat searches for  patient information, a clinician will be able to move seamlessly between systems staying within the same patient. This will also provide the required infrastructure to support effective clinical decision making.

Project Contact Details: 

For more information, please contact the Senior Project Manager - cathal.collier@hse.ie,