Transforming healthcare delivery through a National Electronic Health Record (EHR)
A number of events took place since the summer where numerous Digital for Care programmes of work were highlighted, showcasing the scale of digital health innovations and transformation ongoing and upcoming.
Key events included:
- 4th September: Integrated Healthcare Conference 2025 - Empowering People Through Transforming Care @ The Convention Centre, Dublin
- 11th September: Health Informatics Society of Ireland (HISI) webinar - An EHR for Ireland - a key pillar of Digital for Care
- 17th September: HSE’s 3rd National Patient and Public Partnership Conference 2025 @ Croke Park
The month of September provided several opportunities to highlight the work of Digital for Care in supporting the innovation and transformation of the Irish healthcare system.
Integrated Healthcare Conference 2025
On 4th September, the Integrated Healthcare Conference held at the Convention Centre in Dublin had as its theme ‘Empowering People Through Transforming Care’. Damien McCallion, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer with the HSE, served as a panellist for two of the event’s sessions. The first, ‘Integrating Care for People and Communities’, focused on the delivery of care across Ireland’s six health regions, and embracing new ways of working. The second, ‘Transforming Health Systems with Technology’, was an opportunity to provide updates on existing and emerging digital health initiatives locally, regionally and nationally. Access the recent HISI webinar from this link.
An EHR for Ireland - a key pillar of Digital for Care
On 11th September, the Health Informatics Society of Ireland (HISI) hosted a webinar delving into the National Electronic Health Record (EHR), which will play a key role in transforming the Irish healthcare system, and for which preparations are well underway.
More than 600 people tuned in for the webinar, which featured several leaders from the HSE’s Technology and Transformation team, including Prof. Richard Greene, Chief Clinical Information Officer; Brian Dunne, National EHR Programme Manager - Technology Transformation; and Fiona Maye, National EHR Programme Manager - Service Transformation.
Prof. Greene recalled that the National EHR is an essential component of Sláintecare, Ireland’s strategy for transforming and integrating healthcare delivery, and Digital for Care, the national digital strategy for the Irish health service. He noted that although Ireland is among the most advanced digital economies in the EU, much progress remains to be made in bringing these advances to the national healthcare sector.
Technology Transformation Programme Manager Brian Dunne presented the ambitious vision for the National EHR, emphasising that “You can’t have integrated care without integrated information – it’s not just about IT services, but about connections with GPs, community pharmacies, nursing homes.”
Service Transformation Programme Manager Fiona Maye highlighted research that shows that EHRs can have a transformative impact on patient care and outcomes. “The future of EHRs holds exciting possibilities,” Fiona noted. “Having worked as an Occupational Therapist in the Electronic Assistive Technology Clinic at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, I have seen the positive impacts that advancements in technology can have, not only on patient care but on quality of life post discharge from a healthcare setting.”
Patient and Public Partnership Conference
On 17th September, the HSE’s third national Patient and Public Partnership Conference was held at Croke Park, with the theme of ‘Navigating our partnership journey together.’ The event was an excellent opportunity to hear from patient representatives on their experiences in the Irish healthcare system, and to be reminded that advances in digital healthcare must always keep people, their voices, and their user experiences at the centre of what the HSE does. One of the ways Digital for Care ensures that technological transformation keeps people front and centre is through the Digital Patient Panel (DPP). The day provided the Digital for Care team a chance to recruit new members for the DPP, in which great interest was expressed by patient representatives.
Integrated Healthcare Conference 2025 video archive is now availalbe to view.