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Health digitalisation ‘once in a generation opportunity’- IHCA President

By Mindo - 23rd Jul 2025

Credit: iStock.com/romanshashko

The full roll-out of electronic health records (EHRs) will be a “once in a generation opportunity” to transform the Irish health services’ digital infrastructure and dramatically improve patient care, according to the IHCA President.

Prof Gabrielle Colleran was reacting to Government commitments in the updated National Development Plan for 2026 to 2035 on the digitalisation of the health service.

“We fully endorse and support the decision in the National Development Plan to prioritise health digitalisation. This would be transformational in nature and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to catch up on other countries where digital health records are the norm, enhancing productivity, healthcare outcomes, and service experience for citizens.” 

Prof Colleran noted that the health system continues to rely on an “antiquated records model which is desperately inefficient”.

“It also means healthcare professionals are unable to access and assess patient records in a joined-up, real time fashion. This is at a time when governments around the world are turning their attention to how generative artificial intelligence can transform health systems, improving patient outcomes and overall productivity. The gap from where we are to where we need to be is stark,” said Prof Colleran.

The National Development Plan, which will see €102.4bn in capital investment provided over the next five years, with an overall investment of €275.4bn out to 2035, has allocated €9.25bn to health for the period 2026-2030.

The IHCA has urged the Minister for Health Ms Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to ringfence the required funding for EHRs and prioritise the rapid expansion of current hospital capacity to address the growing demand for care from a growing population.

The IHCA added that a “proper procurement and implementation plan” is now required to accompany this investment in health digitalisation, to ensure value for money, avoid delays, and manage any risks presented by the current fragmented EHR landscape, “which is a reflection of the incremental approach taken to date”.

“The IHCA acknowledges that the recent increases in our health budget is a significant step toward addressing such long-standing deficits,” added Prof Colleran. “However, additional capital investment is still needed to build and open all of the required additional hospital beds, theatres, diagnostics and other facilities across our public hospital base in order to reduce bed occupancy rates, address the numbers of admitted patients being treated on trolleys, and reduce the cancellation of appointments and lengthy waiting times for treatment.”

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MMUH launches Ireland’s first AI centre in a clinical setting

By Reporter - 17th Jun 2025

Pictured L-to-R at the Mater Hospital are Ms Siobhan Killeen, Radiographer; Dr Edward McDermott, Specialist Registrar in Radiology; and Mr Paul Banahan, Senior AI Research Fellow

The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) in Dublin has become the first hospital in Ireland to establish a Centre for AI and Digital Health.

The new hub, which will be based at the Pillar Centre for Transformative Healthcare, will utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to solve clinical problems across the hospital. Through research, it will develop AI-driven solutions to improve patient care and outcomes.

The Mater Hospital’s Centre for AI and Digital Health has been brought about through the collaboration of consultants, researchers and hospital leadership. The hospital said it will make a “tangible difference in patient care”.

“AI has the power to transform how we deliver healthcare,” said Ms Erin Daly, Operations Manager for the Pillar Centre for Transformative Healthcare. “At the Mater Hospital, we are developing AI solutions that directly improve clinical processes, whether it’s streamlining workflows, assisting in medical research, or helping doctors make faster, data-driven decisions.”

The Mater Hospital’s new hub for AI-driven medical advancements is overseeing the adoption of AI and engaging in research across multiple medical specialties, including radiology, oncology, cardiology, and ophthalmology.

“This centre offers a unique opportunity to bring together clinical and technical expertise to adopt and innovate with AI in Irish healthcare,” said Mr Paul Banahan, Senior AI Research Fellow at the Mater.

Among some of its pioneering research projects are:

  • AI-driven automation which will help to identify suitable patients for clinical trials in oncology. This will significantly reduce the 16 hours per week it currently takes a nurse to manually scan these lists, speeding up patient access to clinical trials.
  • The reduction in the number of cardiac fluoroscopy video x-ray images, and subsequently the radiation exposure to both the patients and clinical staff, through real-time AI generated images.
  • The synthetic spinal imaging project, which has developed a generative AI that can convert lumbar spine CT images into synthetic MRI images for cauda equina syndrome presentations, allowing for better and more robust out-of-hour or emergency care planning and treatment.

Speaking on the potential applications of AI in cardiology, Prof Joe Galvin, Consultant Cardiologist, said: “AI has the potential to enhance the accuracy of ECG and radiology scan analysis, reducing the time that a patient has to wait for the results of their diagnosis and, if required, starting their treatment sooner.  If a patient suffers from cardiovascular disease, stroke or cardiac arrest, every minute counts. AI’s ability to increase accuracy and speed may be lifesaving.”

While AI promises significant benefits, the Mater stated it is equally focused on responsible and ethical implementation. According to the hospital, “robust data protection and management frameworks” are being developed to ensure patient safety and privacy, as well compliance with best practices.

“AI in healthcare must be implemented with care, accountability, and a clear focus on improving patient outcomes,” said Ms Josephine Ryan Leacy, CEO of the Mater Hospital. “The Mater Hospital’s Centre for AI and Digital Health is focused on ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in a way that prioritises patient safety, transparency, and real clinical benefits.”

The Centre’s work is already proving valuable, with AI solutions contributing to the reduction of emergency department waiting times and optimising hospital workflows.

In the Mater’s radiology department, AI is assisting in the rapid notification of suspected pathologies, like stroke and fractures, which are being correctly flagged by AI within two-to-three minutes of the scan being completed, with an accuracy rate of over 90 per cent. Consultant Radiologist Prof Peter MacMahon said: “Our experiences have underscored the tangible benefits of AI, notably in expediting critical diagnoses and reducing turnaround times by rapidly flagging anomalies detected in scans.”

“Bringing AI into clinical practice is not just about innovation, it’s about making healthcare more efficient, effective, and accessible,” said Prof Brendan Kinsley, Clinical Director of the Pillar Centre for Transformative Healthcare. “The Mater Hospital’s Centre for AI and Digital Health is laying the groundwork for a smarter, more responsive healthcare system, and I am incredibly proud to see this vision come to life.”

For more information visit the Centre’s website: https://thepillarcentre.ie/ai/

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New AI-powered app launched to streamline general practice

By NiGP - 01st May 2024

New AI-powered app launched to streamline general practice

The healthcare technology company Clanwilliam Group has officially launched its new AI-powered app Pippo, which is anticipated to influence positively an array of practical issues involving patient interactions in general practice. The platform optimises administration tasks in particular by simplifying processes for patient requests such as appointment booking and ordering repeat prescriptions. According to Clanwilliam, a reduction of approximately 40 hours was noted in administrative duties during a pilot of the app that was rolled out across GP practices across Ireland last year.

The technology has been designed with rigorous security standards and ensures end-to-end protection of patient data. It is also compatible with existing GP practice management systems such as Socrates and Helix Practice Manager.

Commenting on the full launch of Pippo, Ms Eileen Byrne, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Ireland, said: “With its capacity to deliver seamless, secure, and efficient interactions between GPs and patients, the rollout of Pippo is an important step forward on this journey of transforming healthcare. By increasing the efficiency of GP patient interactions including appointment booking, payments, and refilling prescriptions in a simple and easy-to-use way, we’re helping to unlock significant benefits for both doctors and patients.”

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