Susan Treacy
CEO, HealthTech Ireland with insights from EIT Health and Philip Lee LLP
While Ireland has lagged in digital health, 2024 has been a notable year for key milestones, to empower leaders to enable transformation for a more sustainable, effective and patient-centred healthcare system.
In today’s rapidly evolving world, with complex long-term challenges facing healthcare systems, unlocking the power of data and technology implementation has never been more critical.
Digital health roadmap
The Department of Health’s ‘Digital for Care’ 2030 framework and the HSE’s digital health implementation roadmap are significant steps forward. HealthTech Ireland members welcome this and were greatly encouraged by the consultative period with us, the Department of Health and the HSE. It reflects a shared vision for a patient-centric health service, integrating the best of what digital technologies and AI can deliver. The focus now includes implementation and accelerating delivery to reap the benefits for patients — something we are focused on.
Legislation for progression
Another impactful milestone is the Health Information Bill, set to revolutionise health data management and use. It provides a legal framework for the protection and use of health information, ensuring data is used ethically and securely, enabling digital health records and primary use by the HSE. Critically, to truly deliver for patients, we await publication of the expanded Health Information Act, covering secondary use to include research, predictive health and population health.
Success requires interoperability and standardisation of electronic health records.
The European Health Data Space (EHDS) emphasises the importance of data in healthcare, aiming to facilitate cross-border healthcare and research and enable data-sharing between countries, fostering collaboration and innovation. Success requires interoperability and standardisation of electronic health records. Ireland’s nascent digital maturity offers a unique opportunity to swiftly harmonise data standards and health IT software, avoiding interoperability costs faced by other nations.
The role of leadership
We are navigating this fourth industrial revolution in uncertain times. Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum, notes: “There has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril.” Strong, collaborative and informed leadership is pivotal, ensuring guard rails are in place to provide confidence to deliver all that adoption of scalable innovation can bring, and these milestones support this.
Benefits to the system through the power of data are undeniable. Delivering this patient-centred approach will create an equitable system with better access, allowing more patients to stay at home. Streamlined services will identify those in need, support teams, provide more informed decision-making, increase efficiencies and reduce waste. Importantly, effective leadership, supportive legislation and innovative frameworks will harness the power of data to finally unlock the full potential of data to transform our healthcare system for the better.
