M-IE-00000998

We’re getting the thoughts and opinions of some of the biggest names in healthcare in Ireland on what Personalised Healthcare means to them and the future of healthcare in Ireland.

Personalised healthcare tailors decisions to individual patients based on their predicted response or risk of disease. Powered by innovative technology and a holistic approach to data, personalised healthcare can transform patients’ lives by delivering care tailored to the individual and leads to improved patient outcomes.

In the first episode of the Pathways To Personalised Healthcare we hear from former Health Minister Mary Harney, who understandably has incredible insights into the politics around healthcare. In this episode, you’ll hear Mary speak about how data exchange between EU states can be a driver for positive change, how the lessons learned from Covid 19 can be a catalyst for reform, and how winning the battle between politics and evidence can lead to better health outcomes and better value for taxpayers’ money when it comes to personalised healthcare.

In our second episode we’re talking to Dr. Nina Byrnes, who shares her insights on Telemedicine and Telehealth. You’ll hear Nina discuss the impact remote consultations and remote monitoring are having on patient care, and how the move towards more personalised healthcare can lead to innovation in treatments for disease, including improvements in hospital outpatient care, and reducing harmful side effects.

In the third episode we speak with Dr. Derick Mitchell, the Chief Executive of the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science and Industry (IPPOSI) and we discuss how common rare diseases actually are, how beneficial a patient-centred approach to healthcare really is, and we also talk about the IPPOSI Citizens' Jury on access to health information. In the episode, Derick explains the importance of valuing our health data and utilising it fully for the betterment of healthcare.

In our fourth episode we continue our journey into Personalised Healthcare as we catch up with Dr. Jennifer Westrup, the Director of Oncology and a consultant medical oncologist at Beacon Hospital as we discuss the impact Digitisation is having on patient outcomes and management systems in the health service. Jennifer explains the importance of moving to National Unique Identifiers, the efficiencies that can bring, and she outlines why this is so important for the progress of personalised healthcare, including improving access to clinical trials and treating genetic syndromes.

In the fifth episode Professor Stephen Finn Associate Professor, Consultant Pathologist and Principal Investigator at Trinity College Dublin and at St. James’s Hospital discusses how genomic targeted therapy is helping to fight cancer and we discuss why it’s so instrumental in the move towards personalised healthcare.

In the final episode of Season 1 of ‘Pathways to Personalised Healthcare’ we speak to Dr. Bryan Hennessy, an expert on Clinical Trials. We look at the various stages involved in clinical trials and the potential personal benefits for participants as individuals, and for society generally. In the episode, you’ll hear Dr. Hennessy discuss the changing attitudes towards clinical trials in Ireland evidenced in recent studies.

In the first episode of Pathways To Personalised Healthcare season 2 we hear from Tony O'Brien, former Director of the HSE. Tony shares his take on the big picture issues at play in the Irish Healthcare system. We discuss the current mismatch between capacity of the health service versus the needs of the population, and the significant benefits of rolling out a Unique Health Identifier.

In our eight episode of Pathways to Personalised Healthcare we’re joined by Liam Doran, former General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. Listen as Liam explains how eHealth infrastructure and personalised healthcare should be at the heart of the necessary changes for implementing Sláintecare. In this episode Liam discusses a possible future without private health insurance, revisiting GP and consultant contracts, and where the political pressure for change is coming from - or not as the case may be.

In the ninth episode we speak to Health Research Charities Ireland CEO, Dr Avril Kennan. You’ll hear Avril talk about the role of the charities sector in attracting clinical trials to Ireland, the benefits these can bring to patient outcomes and the overall benefits to the economy too. We look at the contribution rare disease registries can make and Dr. Kennan also explores the value of data collection and data sharing.

In episode ten, our final episode of season two we meet Deirdre Poretti who is part of the Healthcare Innovation team at Roche Ireland. In her current role, Deirdre works with local, global and across-country teams to design, shape, and implement healthcare solutions that make personalized healthcare a reality for patients in Ireland. In the episode, Deirdre will discuss the barriers to achieving personalized healthcare in Ireland, as well as talk about how to build better trust in science and medicine.