VHI Announces 4 Million Pound E-Commerce Strategy

14th December 1999 - VHI today (14 December 1999) unveiled its e-commerce strategy 2000 – 2002, a £4 million investment in an interactive Healthcare Portal and comprehensive business to business e-commerce links over the next two years.

"This initiative is about facilitating more consumer and patient power in Ireland by providing access to tailored health information. International research has shown that a quarter of the material on the internet is health related and about a third of web surfers are seeking health information. National research indicates that health is in the top three most sought after information topics by Irish consumers and 829,000 people including one third of VHI’s 1.5 million members will be internet users by 2001," said VHI Chief Executive, Oliver Tattan.

"VHI’s Healthcare Portal will provide Irish consumers with the first tailored website providing personalised information. For example, do you know who has your health records now – could you access them? VHI’s Healthcare Portal will provide a health records storage system for you and your family in one secure place so you or a healthcare practitioner who is treating you can access them when needed."

The proposed VHI Healthcare Portal will provide an electronic gateway to comprehensive, interactive health information that is tailored for the Irish consumer. It will be accessible to all net users via the VHI website and will include:

• comprehensive healthcare information by life stage,
• the latest information about conditions, treatments and preventative medicine,
• a secure family and individual health records storage system,
• healthy living advice,
• a secure interactive section where VHI members can log into and check their own VHI details and make amendments as necessary.

VHI’s business to business links will provide seamless and secure administration for our 7,000 corporate Group Schemes with on-line facilities for administration including on-line enquiry and interactive membership update system and monthly billing. This will deliver on VHI’s commitment to best practice and best in class systems.

"VHI’s vision is helping people live longer healthier lives. We want to work with individual members throughout their life stages in a proactive way, to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and, in the event of illness, ensure the best quality appropriate care is available. Due to its real time availability and dynamic information source, the Healthcare Portal is the ideal channel for the development of this initiative," said Mr Tattan. "We want consumers to play a part in designing this Healthcare Portal and a prototype is available at www.vhi.ie. with an e-mail message facility where your comments and suggestions can be logged."