Minister for Health and Children, Ms Mary Harney TD received a report by the Healthcare ICT Industry Group during the 14th Annual Healthcare Informatics Society of Ireland Conference and Scientific Symposium. This report, ICT’s Role in Healthcare Transformation, details the potential benefits associated with the implementation of a national health ICT infrastructure and sets forth nine recommendations towards its implementation.

The report, which was driven by the ICT Industry Group comprised of representatives from 17 companies in the healthcare ICT sector, states that the essential tenet of the document is that lives can be saved, patient care outcomes improved, and costs reduced through effective use of ICT in the healthcare transformation process.

Among the nine recommendations established in the report, the Group urges the Minister for Health and Children to take the leadership role in the creation of a modern IT-enabled healthcare system. The Group also recommends that the HSE triple its expenditure on healthcare IT over the next three years, from 0.75% to 2.25% of the total budget. Other recommendations include a call for the establishment of a Unique Health Identifier and a national Electronic Health Record system with the next three years and the use of open standards in order to ensure interoperability into the future.

Minister Harney also presented the prestigious O’Moore Medal, a distinguished recognition honouring an individual’s outstanding contributions to healthcare informatics. This year’s recipient, H. Stephen Lieber, has more than 27 years of experience and leadership in healthcare and healthcare association management. The O’Moore medal recognises both Mr. Lieber’s work in establishing HIMSS as the world’s largest healthcare association focused on information technology and his leadership in initiating the US government’s stimulus package for healthcare ICT.

In her address to the packed room, Minister Harney stressed that Ireland has the potential to be a leading world player in the utilisation of ICT in healthcare.  The Minister also highlighted the importance of adopting technology in healthcare with a view to improve patient care, recognising the important role IT serves in delivering cost-effective and efficient care.

Chairman of HISI, Gerard Hurl said: “I thank the Minister for her encouraging and supportive comments and her acknowledgement of the IT industry in Ireland and the development of healthcare –related systems.”

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