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New “Digital Health Transformation” Masters launched at inaugural HSE Digital Academy Forum

-    A step forward for digital innovation in the Irish Healthcare System 
-    Apply for the Masters in Digital Health Transformation at www.digitalhealthtransformation.ie

 

Today, Wed 4th Sept, the HSE held the inaugural Digital Academy Forum (DAF) at Dr Steevens’ Hospital in Dublin 8. The Digital Academy Forum is a place where ideas and views on digital health issues, digital transformation and innovations across the Health Service can be shared and discussed by medical staff, academics, industry leaders, and patients and citizens. 

Announcing the Digital Academy Forum, HSE CEO Paul Reid commented:
“Digital technologies are changing at a lightning-fast pace and offer the potential to transform our national healthcare system in support of Sláintecare. I am delighted to see a forum emerge where the entire Irish Digital healthcare system discuss and debate these digital solutions so that we can converge on the best possible outcomes for Irish citizens and patients.”

Digital Academy Forums will now be held quarterly to provide a forum for sharing and shaping thought and practice leadership in Digital Health, and to showcase new digital solutions. Ultimately they will inform Ireland’s National Electronic Healthcare Strategy, in line with Sláintecare - which calls for the delivery of digital systems that put the patient at the heart of healthcare.

Open Innovation in Healthcare will underpin the Digital Academy Forums. Prof. Martin Curley, Chair of the Digital Academy Forum, explains:
“Open Innovation is a positive approach for innovation, where change is embraced and not resisted, and where all stakeholders are involved to create and innovate. We are working together to co-create the future of the health service. My hope is that these forums will drive innovation and ideas, and lead to rapid adoption of Digital solutions for transformational good across our Health Service.”

Masters in Digital Health Transformation:

The HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Colm Henry, also launched a new Masters in Digital Health Transformation at the event, which will train digital leaders in delivering innovative and cost effective health services in Ireland. The Masters programme was co-designed by the HSE Digital Academy and the eight Irish Universities. Registration is now open for Masters Applications at www.digitalhealthtransformation.ie. 

Dr. Colm Henry, HSE CCO, said:
“This is a great example of Open Innovation 2.0, which will help build Digital capacity and capability not just in the HSE, but across the entire Irish health ecosystem.  The collaboration and support of the eight Universities has been exemplary. The new Masters will train digital leaders who will deliver more cost effective and better health services for Irish citizens.”

Prof Ann Ledwith, Dean of Graduate & Professional Studies at the University of Limerick said:
“UL is delighted to lead a collaboration between the Irish Universities and the HSE to deliver this unique Masters Programme, aimed at educating Digital Leaders and enabling a digital transformation within our health system.”

Inaugural HSE Digital Academy Forum:

Speakers in Digital Healthcare at today’s event highlighted some of the innovations already in operation across the Health Service, and demonstrated inventions that will soon be introduced into Acute Hospitals and Community Healthcare settings. 

Welcoming people to the inaugural forum, HSE HR Director, Anne Marie Hoey, said:
“The digital academy forum is a place where ideas and views on digital health issues can be shared and discussed. We intend to run the forums on a regular basis and they will be an important mechanism to help our digital health ecosystem evolve and stay aligned”. 

Dr. Michael Harty, Chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, keynoted at the forum and noted the importance of developing digital systems to achieve the objectives of Slaintecare: 
 “The achievement of Sláintecare's objective of an equitable, efficient and effective health service requires the delivery of digital systems that put the patient at the heart of healthcare. The HSE Digital Academy will support this vision by building expertise and capability in digital open innovation, under the able leadership of Prof. Martin Curley. This new unit will be a catalyst in delivering Sláintecare’s goal of better care for our citizens.”

Prof. Anthony Staines of DCU discussed the logic of taking an Open Innovation approach:
“Ireland needs to use modern open technologies, not technology from the 1980's; open standards, and not poorly documented proprietary standards; and open their own data to patients for them to use as they see fit. The economics of open innovation in healthcare are compelling”.

Prof. Martin Curley, Chair of the Digital Academy Forum, commented:  
 “The Digital Academy will help build health system-wide digital capability, capacity and competence. The Digital Health ecosystem is aligning around the mantra of ‘stay left, shift left’, whereby we use digital solutions to first keep well people well, and then in case of illness or injury to move people as quickly as possible from acute to community to home settings, all the while improving quality of care and quality of life, and reducing cost”.

While the health system faces unprecedented challenges, Digital Solutions offer much promise to enable healthcare transformation by:
•    Enabling real-time healthcare
•    Delivering Citizen Centred care
•    Delivering data driven innovation
•    Improving quality of care and quality of life and reducing costs
•    Enabling a shift from reactive to proactive healthcare

ENDS 

Issued by HSE Press Office