IPPOSI is facilitating a series of digital discussions to explore the learnings from Ireland’s pandemic response as well as policies and projects that will influence the future of the Irish health system and health information infrastructure

Learning from the pandemic response: Implications for health information in Ireland

The first discussion on Sept 20, 2021 focused on evaluating Ireland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing its implications for health information in Ireland. We invited Muiris O’Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of Health, to discuss what Ireland can learn from a health information perspective.

We were also joined by Loretto Grogan (National Clinical Information Officer, HSE) and Dr. Robert O’Connor (Head of Research, Irish Cancer Society), who both provided insights and perspectives on how health information has played a role in their work over the past 18 months.

Sara Hurley, a juror from the IPPOSI Citizens’ Jury on Access to Health Information, also joined us to represent the jury and share her perspective on the future of Ireland’s health information system.

The outputs of this discussion are available by clicking on the buttons below.

The EU health information agenda and the preparedness of Ireland to meet its European commitments

For our second digital discussion of 2021, we invited Saara Malkamäki (Specialist, Health Data 2030, Sitra) to introduce
The European Health Data Space (EHDAS) and the Joint Action – Towards the European Health Data Space (TEHDAS). She also highlighted the progress of Ireland, Finland, and other EU countries in preparing for the secondary use of health data.

We were also joined by panellists Avril Daly (CEO of Retina International), Dr Teresa Maguire (Director of Research Strategy + Funding, HRB), and David Toohey (CEO and Co-founder of Syncrophi) who responded to Saara’s presentation from their own perspectives and provided insights on where and how the EU agenda will influence their own work. Panellists also considered Ireland’s approach as an EU member state in the health information space.

The outputs of this discussion are available by clicking on the buttons below.

Involving the public and the patient in the digitalisation of health care and research

To conclude our Digital Discussion Series on the topic of digital health, on February 14, 2022 we hosted a discussion on involving the public and patients in the digitalisation of health care and research.

Morten Elbæk Petersen (CEO of the Danish public health portal sundhed.dk) joined us to discuss what Irish policymakers can learn from Danish counterparts about citizen-centred portals, how portals can assist in improving clinician-patient relationships as part of cultural change, and what citizens and patients need to do to meaningfully engage with the health data agenda.

This discussion also featured a multi-stakeholder panel that provided insights into how a portal can meaningfully contribute to patient outcomes and experiences. They also considered the policy and funding framework required to implement a successful infrastructure in Ireland. The panel featured Olga Gogarty (Director of Digital Health, Transformation and Partnerships for St Patrick’s Mental Health Services) Adrian Yeates (Advisory Forum Member, Portal Roll-Out, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services), Gaye Stephens (Lecturer on the MSc. in Health Informatics, Trinity College Dublin), and Cora Flynn (Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, St Vincent’s University Hospital).