Posts by: Eimear Galvin

Theatre Workshops for Dementia and Remote Speech Therapy Screening for Children Among Five Pilot Projects Selected by Smart D8

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Theatre Workshops for Dementia and Remote Speech Therapy Screening for Children Among Five Pilot Projects Selected by Smart D8

  • Pilot projects selected to focus on speech and language, community health, disability support, dementia and medical administration.
  • Latest selection of Pilot Projects follows three years of success, having reached over 6,000 citizens in and around Dublin 8.
  • HIHI is partner of population health initiative Smart D8, part of Dublin City Council and Smart Dublin. 

A remote screening platform for children in need of speech therapy, a cloud-based system to streamline the medical management of homeless people and theatre workshops for people with dementia are among the five pilot projects selected by Smart D8 to transform health and wellbeing in Dublin 8. Eimear Galvin, Regional Manager HIHi represents HIHI on the partnership board and was one of the call judges.

Smart D8, an urban health initiative using innovation to improve and sustain community health and wellbeing in Dublin 8, has announced a record number of successful applicants from its fourth pilot call. 

The fourth call follows three years of successful projects that have enhanced community health and wellbeing in Dublin 8, with 12 projects already bringing long-lasting and positive impacts to the local area over the past three years.  

To date, projects have reached over 6,000 citizens in and around the Dublin 8 district and originally stemmed from community-led research that identified unmet population health and wellness needs.

Continuing the success and growth of the initiative, the five pilot projects selected are:

  • Kids Speech Labs, which was founded by Dr Shona D’Arcy, addresses the critical issue of extensive waiting lists for children’s speech and language therapy in Dublin. Through a remote screening platform, speech and language therapists can identify areas of need in children’s speech and offer support and resources to parents while they wait for appointments.
  • Dublin Simon Community, will soon be opening a 100-bed medical facility at Usher’s Island in Dublin 8. The organisation aims to combat issues in paper-based hospital administration at the facility by implementing a digital medication management system through Digicare. Coordinated by Eavanna Maloney and Naomi Nicholson, the cloud-based application seeks to streamline management, reduce admin, enhance patient care and minimise health complications for a vulnerable population who often face barriers to accessing healthcare.
  • Led by Lyndsey Watson and Sonia Neary of Wellola, Portasana® aims to transform Population Health by offering a patient-facing digital care pathway solution, which empowers and educates patients, supports self-management and reduces face to face hospital appointments. The initiative fills critical gaps in mainstream healthcare practice by enhancing patient care. Wellola are collaborating with St James’s Hospital to provide digitised care pathways for chronic disease management to improve population health outcomes across Dublin city.
  • Initiated by Dr Jenny Fortune, CP-Life Research Centre at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences will develop an innovative web dashboard to serve as a directory of local services and supports for citizens with disabilities. The pilot will empower disabled individuals through crowd-sourcing and knowledge sharing, reducing barriers to access to essential services and improving overall health and wellbeing in the community.
  • The Brain Health pilot, led by Dr Nicholas Johnson and collaborators at Trinity College Dublin and the Global Brain Health Institute, will create an educational and awareness program using theatre workshops with Dublin 8 residents affected by dementia. The pilot aims to raise awareness of dementia and preventative activities, destigmatize the condition and empower citizens to take control of their cognitive health. In collaboration with OT Platform and extended partners, the pilot aims to position Dublin 8 as a pioneer in dementia prevention and serve as a model for brain health initiatives city-wide.

Each Pilot Project will receive support of up to €12,500 in resourcing to advance their existing work. 

HIHI Monthly Tender Watch – June

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Welcome to ‘HIHI Tender Watch’. This is a brief monthly update on live relevant* tenders for innovative healthcare products in Irish healthcare, a reminder of those closing soon and a record of relevant Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS – always open to new vendors once criteria is met). This month we are highlighting relevant DPS that were published prior to commencing ‘HIHI Tender Watch’. See below.

Published at the end of each month, ‘HIHI Tender Watch’ is intended as a sign-post service for HIHI clients and includes brief tender request details, contracting body, deadline, link to relevant tender docs. If you would like HIHI to feature your tender or you notice we have missed one, please send through details to info@hihi.ie. 

 New additions to HIHI DPS record: 

1. DPS Qualification: Provision of Remote Health Monitoring Technologies to Support the Implementation of Virtual Ward Care Model Solutions

(HSE ref. 23112) 

The HSE is issuing this Request to Participate (“RTP”) in a Dynamic Purchasing System (hereafter ‘the DPS’) for the provision of Remote Health Monitoring Technologies to support the implementation of Virtual Ward care models via a fully end to end vendor managed solution. The HSE is the Contracting Authority for this public procurement competition on its own behalf and on behalf of all organisations funded by the HSE. A Virtual Ward is a time-limited, safe, and efficient alternative to bedded care enabled by technology that aims to support people who have an acute condition, or exacerbation of a chronic condition requiring hospital-level care, to receive this high acuity care in the place they call home. This approach can provide both an alternative to hospital admission at the Emergency Department, and/or facilitate an earlier discharge from a hospital ward for medical and surgical patients. This DPS will support the implementation of Virtual Wards and associated service capabilities within adult, older persons, and paediatric services across, but not limited to, respiratory, cardiology, and endocrinology pathways. The HSE is seeking to procure an effective and successful market proven, end-to-end vendor managed solution ready for immediate deployment. A central component of the Virtual Ward Solution supported by Remote Health Monitoring Technologies service will be a comprehensive fully vendor managed (end-to-end) solution, including the provision and support of a suite of web-based application(s) and clinical measurement equipment, to facilitate acute clinical care delivered remotely by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) if clinically appropriate and with clear lines of clinical responsibility and governance. This solution will facilitate the avoidance of hospital admission and/or early hospital discharge by providing safe technology that allows suitable patients to be clinically monitored from where they call home. 

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=2692177 

 2. DPS Qualification for Flexible Endoscopes

(HSE ref: 21702) 

Endoscopes, endoscopy, endosurgery devices. 

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=2878480 

 3. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Invitation for the provision of Digital Dictation/Voice Recognition

(HSE ref: 24100) 

The Health Service Executive (HSE) wishes to establish a DPS Invitation for the provision of Digital Dictation/Voice Recognition Systems, including supply, installation, integration, implementation, training and on-going support. 

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=1809126 

4. DPS Qualification for Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Interventional Radiology, Vascular, to include all related consumables

Cardiovascular devices, cardiac-monitoring devices, cardio-angiography devices, cardiographs, diagnostics and radio-diagnostic devices and supplies 

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=1788104 

 5. Dynamic Purchasing System Qualification for the Provision of Diagnostics and Imaging Equipment

X-ray devices, x-ray workstations, x-ray processing devices, x-ray fluoroscopy devices, radiography devices, gamma cameras, CT scanners, CAT scanners, cardiac X-ray system 

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=2713998 

 Closing soon: 

1.Provision of an ICT solution for Home Support Service Case Management e rostering and National Nursing Homes Support Scheme and Statutory Home Support. 

27/06/2024, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=3437734 

 

 Ongoing: Invitation to Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS): 

 1. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Invitation for the supply of Medical Gloves HSE Ref 18297/23647.

HSE, n/a – DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3175098

2. Provision of an e-rostering System. The system(s) procured will be used as tactical day to day tools to record staff attendance, relate staff attendance to remuneration, report on compliance with labour law, create and manage staff rosters and strategically to align rosters with service demands. A priority is to ensure application of time recording and e-rostering to staff with particular regard to recording and managing compliance with HSE work practices, EWTD, associated labour law requirements and integration with payroll strategic and national systems such as HR and Payroll.

(This DPS replaces the version advertised on the old etenders platform, HSE 14807, ID reference 240390. Eligibility Criteria in the ESPD Document will be used for assessing candidates against the Exclusion Criteria. Candidates will be evaluated against Selection Criteria as indicated in the Expression of Interest documentation.) 

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3327889# 

3.  Dynamic Purchasing System for Personal Protective Equipment for Regular Demand. This DPS Invitation has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to Applicants interested in participating in a public procurement process for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System for the supply of PPE for Regular Demand on behalf of the HSE (hereafter the “DPS Regular Demand”). Regular Demand means the regular forecastable weekly demand for PPE across the HSE.

HSE, n/a DPS, limited info on link:https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/prepareViewCfTDPSWS.do?resourceId=1789752

4. Request to Participate (“RTP”) in a DPS for the provision of Unified Cyber Incident Response service. The HSE is the Contracting Authority for this public procurement competition on its own behalf and on behalf of all organisations funded by the HSE. On 14 May 2021, the HSE was subjected to a serious criminal cyberattack (the “Incident”), through the infiltration of IT systems using Conti Ransomware. Over 80 percent of IT infrastructure impacted leading to unavailability of key patient information and diagnostics. To rapidly enhance the security operations and strengthen the cyber defence posture post the Incident, a number of security services were stood up on an emergency basis. HSE are now in the journey towards standardising these capabilities and associated services. The Post Incident Review (PIR) that was carried out following the incident has highlighted the need for integrating existing siloed incident response processes into a unified cyber incident response capability. The vision of this service is to effectively and consistently have the capability to unify the cyber incident response across multiple HSE organisational constructs.

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=3234213 

5. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the supply of Urology and Ostomy products. DPS CA UNIQUE ID: 24023/18296 

This DPS has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to economic operators interested in participating in a public procurement process for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System for the supply, where relevant of Urology and Ostomy products. 

Evaluation mechanism: Best Price-Quality Ratio. https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=3523124 

 Source: etenders: https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/home.do. 

 Any questions? Email  info@hihi.ie. 

*Please be aware that the tenders highlighted herein are not exhaustive and are at the discretion of  the HIHI team. We recommend all clients follow relevant CPV codes and visit etenders regularly. 

 

HIHI Monthly Tender Watch – May

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Welcome to ‘HIHI Tender Watch’. This is a brief monthly update on live relevant* tenders for innovative products in Irish healthcare, a reminder of those closing soon and relevant Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS – always open to new vendors once criteria is met).

‘HIHI Tender Watch’ is intended as a sign-post service for HIHI clients and includes brief tender request details, contracting body, deadline, link to relevant tender docs. If you would like HIHI to feature your tender or you notice we have missed one, please send through details to info@hihi.ie.

New:

  1. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the supply of Urology and Ostomy products. DPS CA UNIQUE ID: 24023/18296

This DPS has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to economic operators interested in participating in a public procurement process for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System for the supply, where relevant of Urology and Ostomy products.

Evaluation mechanism: Best Price-Quality Ratio. https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=3523124

Closing soon:

  1. Provision of an ICT solution for Home Support ServiceCase Management e rostering and National Nursing Homes Support Scheme and Statutory Home Support.

HSE, 27/06/2024, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=3437734

Ongoing: Invitation to Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS):

  1. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Invitation for the supply of Medical GlovesHSE Ref 18297/23647.

HSE, n/a – DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3175098

  1. Provision of an e-rostering System. The system(s) procured will be used as tactical day to day tools to record staff attendance, relate staff attendance to remuneration, report on compliance with labour law, create and manage staff rosters and strategically to align rosters with service demands. A priority is to ensure application of time recording and e-rostering to staff with particular regard to recording and managing compliance with HSE work practices, EWTD, associated labour law requirements and integration with payroll strategic and national systems such as HR and Payroll.

(This DPS replaces the version advertised on the old etenders platform, HSE 14807, ID reference 240390. Eligibility Criteria in the ESPD Document will be used for assessing candidates against the Exclusion Criteria. Candidates will be evaluated against Selection Criteria as indicated in the Expression of Interest documentation.)

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3327889#

  1. Dynamic Purchasing System for Personal Protective Equipment for Regular Demand. This DPS Invitation has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to Applicants interested in participating in a public procurement process for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System for the supply of PPE for Regular Demand on behalf of the HSE (hereafter the “DPS Regular Demand”). Regular Demand means the regular forecastable weekly demand for PPE across the HSE.

HSE, n/a DPS, limited info on link:https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/prepareViewCfTDPSWS.do?resourceId=1789752

  1. Request to Participate (“RTP”) in a DPS for the provision of Unified Cyber Incident Response service. The HSE is the Contracting Authority for this public procurement competition on its own behalf and on behalf of all organisations funded by the HSE. On 14 May 2021, the HSE was subjected to a serious criminal cyberattack (the “Incident”), through the infiltration of IT systems using Conti Ransomware. Over 80 percent of IT infrastructure impacted leading to unavailability of key patient information and diagnostics. To rapidly enhance the security operations and strengthen the cyber defence posture post the Incident, a number of security services were stood up on an emergency basis. HSE are now in the journey towards standardising these capabilities and associated services. The Post Incident Review (PIR) that was carried out following the incident has highlighted the need for integrating existing siloed incident response processes into a unified cyber incident response capability. The vision of this service is to effectively and consistently have the capability to unify the cyber incident response across multiple HSE organisational constructs.

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=3234213

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: etenders: https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/home.do.

Any questions? Email  info@hihi.ie.

*Please be aware that the tenders highlighted herein are not exhaustive and are at the discretion of  the HIHI team. We recommend all clients follow relevant CPV codes and visit etenders regularly.

 

 

NEW: HIHI Monthly Tender Watch – April

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Welcome to ‘HIHI Tender Watch’. This is a brief monthly update on live relevant* tenders for innovative healthcare products in Irish healthcare. ‘HIHI Tender Watch’ is intended as a sign-post service for HIHI clients and includes brief tender request details, contracting body, deadline, link to relevant tender docs.

If you would like HIHI to feature your tender or you notice we have missed one, please send through details to info@hihi.ie.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HIHI Tender Watch: April

  1. Provision of an ICT solution for Home Support Service Case Management e rostering and National Nursing Homes Support Scheme and Statutory Home Support.

HSE, 27/06/2024, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=3437734

2. NMBI is seeking an off-the-shelf software application to support Fitness to Practice Inquiries, including the electronic sharing, distribution and collaboration of documents for Inquiry meetings in a secure manner. A securely hosted solution is required, with no requirement for NMBI to manage server infrastructure or be required to purchase /install/use additional software products or licenses.

Nursing and Midwifery Board, 30/05/24, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=3477905. 

3. Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Invitation for the supply of Medical Gloves HSE Ref 18297/23647.

HSE, n/a – DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3175098

4. HSE National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme (NHCTP) is responsible for implementing the National Hepatitis C Strategy 2011-2014 and the National Hepatitis C Strategic Plan 2020-2026 and relevant action plans. NHCTP invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced service providers to continue an established online Hepatitis C service, integrated with existing public treatment sites clinics in Ireland, as per scope.

HSE, 23/05/24, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/viewContractNotices.do?resourceId=3424138

5. Provision of an e-rostering System. The system(s) procured will be used as tactical day to day tools to record staff attendance, relate staff attendance to remuneration, report on compliance with labour law, create and manage staff rosters and strategically to align rosters with service demands. A priority is to ensure application of time recording and e-rostering to staff with particular regard to recording and managing compliance with HSE work practices, EWTD, associated labour law requirements and integration with payroll strategic and national systems such as HR and Payroll.

(This DPS replaces the version advertised on the old etenders platform, HSE 14807, ID reference 240390. Eligibility Criteria in the ESPD Document will be used for assessing candidates against the Exclusion Criteria. Candidates will be evaluated against Selection Criteria as indicated in the Expression of Interest documentation.)

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/listDPSContractDocuments.do?resourceId=3327889#

6. Dynamic Purchasing System for Personal Protective Equipment for Regular Demand. This DPS Invitation has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to Applicants interested in participating in a public procurement process for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System for the supply of PPE for Regular Demand on behalf of the HSE (hereafter the “DPS Regular Demand”). Regular Demand means the regular forecastable weekly demand for PPE across the HSE.

HSE, n/a DPS, limited info on link:https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/prepareViewCfTDPSWS.do?resourceId=1789752

7. Request to Participate (“RTP”) in a DPS for the provision of Unified Cyber Incident Response service. The HSE is the Contracting Authority for this public procurement competition on its own behalf and on behalf of all organisations funded by the HSE. On 14 May 2021, the HSE was subjected to a serious criminal cyberattack (the “Incident”), through the infiltration of IT systems using Conti Ransomware. Over 80 percent of IT infrastructure impacted leading to unavailability of key patient information and diagnostics. To rapidly enhance the security operations and strengthen the cyber defence posture post the Incident, a number of security services were stood up on an emergency basis. HSE are now in the journey towards standardising these capabilities and associated services. The Post Incident Review (PIR) that was carried out following the incident has highlighted the need for integrating existing siloed incident response processes into a unified cyber incident response capability. The vision of this service is to effectively and consistently have the capability to unify the cyber incident response across multiple HSE organisational constructs.

HSE, n/a DPS, https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/dps/viewDPSNotices.do?resourceId=3234213

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: etenders: https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/home.do.

Any questions? Email  info@hihi.ie.

*Please be aware that the tenders highlighted herein are not exhaustive and are at the discretion of  the HIHI team. We recommend all clients follow relevant CPV codes and visit etenders regularly.

Newstalk Breakfast covers findings of new HIHI report

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The ‘Buying All-Island in Healthcare – North and South’ report was launched yesterday with an interview on Newstalk Breakfast. This was carried across all national bulletins throughout the day and Bauer Media’s local stations. HIHI Regional Manger Eimear Galvin, discussed the fact that SMEs and start-ups in Ireland struggle to compete with established vendors for healthcare tenders, unfairly affected by scale and liquidity requirements. Outdated assessments for software products, lack of innovation procurement and funding for its mechanisms, limited use of dynamic purchasing systems and purchasing standards that vary widely across secondary care sites in ROI are also perceived to be prohibitive.

‘Buying All-Island in Healthcare – North and South’ report yesterday published the findings and recommendations framework of the All-Island Medtech SMEs (AIMS) initiative, delivered through a 12-month cross-border partnership of Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) and Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI), supported by InterTradeIreland’s Synergy programme.

New HIHI cross-border report finds common barriers for smaller vendors in healthcare and urges an all-island shift to innovation procurement, enabling SMEs and Start-ups to thrive in domestic health tech markets

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Launched today, the ‘Buying All-Island in Healthcare – North and South’ report publishes the findings and recommendations framework of the All-Island Medtech SMEs (AIMS) initiative, delivered through a 12-month cross-border partnership of HSE and Enterprise Ireland partnership Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) and Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI), supported by InterTradeIreland’s Synergy programme. This all-island collaborative initiative with SMEs and healthcare stakeholders – health sector, health industry, policy, state agency, academia and procurement – identified barriers and experienced by smaller vendors in Irish healthcare and proposed solutions.

38 stakeholder groups from health, industry, policy, state agency, academia and procurement, identified common challenges to SMEs and start-ups within the Irish (North and South) health market.  New and smaller suppliers below certain revenue thresholds are not equally positioned to compete with established vendors for healthcare tenders, unfairly affected by scale and liquidity requirements. Outdated assessments for software products, lack of innovation procurement and funding for its mechanisms, limited use of dynamic purchasing systems and purchasing standards that vary widely across secondary care sites in ROI are also perceived to be prohibitive.

AIMS stakeholder workshops; expert advisory group sessions and European benchmarking informed the proposed solutions contained in the ‘AIMS Framework of recommendations for Innovation Procurement’. The framework focuses on four key areas to deliver system-wide impact that will facilitate the procurement of innovative products across the healthcare sector on the island of Ireland from all vendors, regardless of size –

  1. Budget and Mechanisms – create a protected healthcare budget for the procurement of innovation, implement EU approved mechanism

To boost innovation procurement allocate a portion of the public budget, replicating successful European exemplars. Public Procurement of Innovative solutions (PPI) is one mechanism. The public sector uses its purchasing power to act as early adopter of innovative solutions that are not yet available on large-scale commercial basis. PPI can target specific healthcare challenges by seeking innovative solutions, and through a testing phase, reduce risks commonly associated with smaller vendors

  1. Review and revise procurement thresholds — hardware vs software

Tender requirements often demand high turnovers, a relic of old hardware focussed companies. This excludes smaller, innovative firms. Unlike hardware, software does not rely on costly supply chains; its main costs are licenses and setup. Software procurement should prioritise features, capabilities, and fit with needs over financial size.

  1. Increase use of Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) in healthcare procurement

A DPS is a digital tool allowing qualified suppliers to join anytime to compete for contracts. In contrast to tender frameworks, which usually last four years. DPS increases small businesses access to public contracts, simplifying the process by cutting out repetitive bids.

  1. Co-develop and publish education tool for SMEs navigating HSC and HSE

Developing an educational tool with HSE procurement for SMEs and start-ups will benefit small entities understanding of a multi-faceted complex process. The online tool will be co-developed, user-friendly, accessible and regularly updated to reflect any changes in regulations or best practice

Currently, there are no Irish innovation procurement policy frameworks driving public buyer engagement with smaller vendors. This is in stark contrast to common European practice. Austria, Belgium, Finland, and the Netherlands have specific action plans for innovation procurement. Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, France and Sweden include specific objectives on innovation procurement in wider national strategies.

Dr Tanya Mulcahy, National Director Health Innovation Hub Ireland said:

 “While the development of innovative healthcare products by Irish and Northern Irish-based companies is something we excel at, the application and procurement of those innovations in Irish healthcare has not been realised. This report identifies some of the barriers and measures that could be implemented immediately with significant effect. The ‘Programme for Government – Our Shared Future’ identified the role public procurement can play as an instrument to support innovation and allow greater access for SMEs to public procurement. The six new Regional Health Authorities also present an opportunity to assess these recommendations and consider suitability per region.”

“The HSE is making changes to its procurement processes and has specifically identified working with HIHI in its Corporate Plan 2022-2024. The recommendations of the ‘Buying Irish in Healthcare – North and South’ report recommend priorities on which we can collaborate.

 Eimear Galvin, HIHI Regional Manager and  AIMS project lead said:

 “We know that for Irish start-ups and SMEs the process of engagement from ‘procurement’ through to ‘use’ can take on average 12-24 months and the AIMS workshops corroborated this. The effects of this lag are multi-layered: healthcare sites endure a wait before the product required meets the identified need; revenue streams for SMEs and start-ups are negatively affected; restricted revenue streams limit ability to create employment; may lead to discontinuation – affecting GDP. Our recommendations are designed to counter this across the board – benefitting healthcare systems, indigenous health tech vendors and economic growth”

Prof Joann Rhodes, CEO HIRANI said:

“Innovation is defined as the process of bringing about new products, services, or solutions for challenges that will have a significant positive impact and value. Challenges within the health systems for both vendors and suppliers are largely mirrored across North and South. This report examined the benefits of working pro-actively together to guide suppliers to develop their products ‘in sync’ with the key priorities of both health systems on the island of Ireland and to create a framework to support procurement.

“The Northern Ireland Executive has already recognised the benefits of local public procurement in 2022, and as they develop their new Programme for Government, this report will be a valuable resource to influence decision makers to better support the benefits of local procurement in Health. Despite the differing policy landscapes, North and South, a joint delivery of recommendations such as an all-island Dynamic Purchasing system to provide a route for local innovation to enhance health and prosperity across the island of Ireland would be highly advantageous”.

 ENDS

Smart D8 Call for pilots Community Health, Health Literacy and Environment – Closes this Friday 29

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Smart D8 Opens New Call for Pilot Projects following three years of success

  • New call for pilot projects in three areas: Community Health, Health Literacy and Environment
  • Up to six pilot projects will be selected from call, following success of 12 projects over three years
  • Smart D8 is led by The Digital Hub, St James’s Hospital, Dublin City Council and Smart Dublin

 Smart D8, an urban health initiative using innovation to improve and sustain community health and wellbeing in Dublin 8, has opened a new call for pilot projects following three years of successful pilot projects.

Smart D8 is set to expand the number of pilot projects selected from this year’s call, with up to six successful pilots to receive support of up to €12,500 in resourcing.

Smart D8 is now seeking applications for pilot projects focused on Community Health, Health Literacy and the Environment to continue developing Dublin 8 as a demonstrator centred on enhancing the health and wellbeing of the 45,000 citizens in the community.

Over the last three years, Smart D8 has engaged with several public organisations and private companies. Through a series of pilot projects as well as ongoing partner collaboration, Dublin 8 has gradually transformed into a demonstrator focused on the health and wellbeing of citizens.

The 2024 pilot call is open to all Enterprise, Academic Institutions, and Public and Private sector organisations who offer innovative and scalable solutions that address unmet needs of the community and can be enabled by collaboration with Smart D8 partners.

Jack Lehane, Smart D8 Ecosystem Manager, said:

“Following the success of our previous pilot projects, which have positively impacted over 6,000 citizens in Dublin 8 by enhancing awareness across various health issues including heart health and mental wellbeing, we are now inviting applicants in the areas of Community Health, Health Literacy and Environmental.  Smart D8 provides an excellent opportunity for businesses and researchers to meaningfully contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of citizens in Dublin 8 and beyond, and we strongly encourage any organisations who have developed innovative products or services in these three areas to apply.”

Giulia Camera, Smart D8 Enterprise and Learning Coordinator, added:

“The community is central to the development and innovation at Smart D8. The latest call for pilot projects provides an excellent opportunity for developments to flourish in three critical areas of local health innovation, which will not only support the health and wellbeing of the local community but will also enable improved education on key areas of everyday wellness. By providing access to new projects and resources on health, we can progress the wellbeing of the Dublin 8 community, and beyond, one step further.”

The success of Smart D8 is evident through various pilot projects over recent years. These initiatives include Menopause and the City which aimed at educating women and their surrounding family and friends about menopause so they can be empowered to manage their symptoms, Heart of Our City which aimed at improving awareness and management of cardiovascular disease in the community, and Civic Dollars which enabled people to earn a digital currency through spending time in local parks and nature.

Smart D8 is led by The Digital Hub, Smart Dublin, Dublin City Council and St. James’s Hospital. They are joined by Tyndall National Institute, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, Trinity Research & Innovation, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, National College of Art & Design, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Health Innovation Hub Ireland and the HSE in this unique collaborative initiative.

Applications will close on Friday, March 29th at 11pm. For more information on Smart D8 and to find out how to apply for the latest round of pilot projects, please visit https://smartd8.ie

 

HIHI supports Ireland’s first clinically designed digital platform for menopause

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Menopause and the City, one of the four selected Smart D8 pilot projects, held an event at The Digital Hub on Monday 16th of October ahead of World Menopause Day, to share information on menopause and support networks available in the local Dublin 8 area. HIHI is a proud partner of Smart D8 and a champion for InfoMD menopause within the group. (https://informd.ie/menopause)

Founded and driven by Dr Louise Fitzgerald, Menopause and the City is a sub-project of inforMD Menopause, an initiative that is focused on improving menopause health and wellbeing in Dublin 8 and beyond. It will be the first national platform wholly dedicated to providing women with information on menopause and resources where they can access support.

The Menopause and the City pilot project aims to educate women, their family and friends about menopause so they can be empowered to manage their symptoms using self-management strategies but equally know when to seek professional help appropriately. The pilot will provide several free in-person workshops delivered to the community and a free online platform.

The first of those information workshops featured a number of leading expert speakers in healthcare and menopause, including Dr Ciara McKenna and Dr. Aoife Nic Shamhráin, leading Menopause Specialists with Menopause Health, Clare Farrell, Women’s Health Physiotherapist at The Coombe Hospital and Family Physio, and Orna O’Brien, Senior Dietician at the Irish Heart Foundation.

Dr Louise Fitzgerald, the founder of inforMD Menopause, has extensive experience in healthcare and identified the challenges facing women experiencing menopause in accessing treatment and support. With a background in medical practice, Dr Louise runs a successful menopause clinic in Dublin City Centre where she provides equal access, treatment and support for women experiencing menopause.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the pilot project, Dr Louise Fitzgerald, Founder of inforMD Menopause and Menopause and the City, stated:

“Menopause has become an increasingly important conversation in modern society however many women remain unaware of treatment and support networks in their local communities. The impact of hormonal changes on the lead up to menopause can be turbulent, confusing and stressful. It is quite shocking to hear that 82% of women are in some way affected in their work performance by menopause symptoms[1]. While some women require medical intervention for their symptoms, many women only require lifestyle advice, which should be available to all women. It’s important that we raise awareness of menopause symptoms, supports and resources for communities, and I hope that inforMD Menopause does just that. I’m delighted to launch inforMD Menopause and Menopause and the City ahead of World Menopause Day and I’m very grateful for the support from Smart D8 on this important project.”

 

Dublin communities set to benefit from new health and wellness pilots through Smart D8

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Smart D8, one of five Smart Districts of the Smart Dublin programme designed to improve health and wellbeing in an urban population, has today announced the successful applicants from their third call for pilot projects. Smart D8 is led by The Digital Hub, St James’s Hospital, Dublin City Council and Smart Dublin.

A record number of 60 applications from private and public organisations were received following the pilot call in March. Four projects have now been selected which focus on menopause, physical rehabilitation, exercise and sleep apnea and will share a €50,000 fund to advance their existing work:

  • Menopause and the City from Dr Louise Fitzgerald of Grafton Medical Practice/InforMD.ie: This pilot is seeking to create a better educational ecosystem around menopause health for both individuals as well as families and friends. A project with truly scalable potential, Dr Louise Fitzgerald is aiming for Dublin 8 to become the centre of the first city-wide approach to positive menopause education and support.
  • Brace from Conor Motyer: Brace is a community-based recovery app which seeks to assist patients who are undergoing physical rehabilitation. With an added focus on the mental wellness aspect of rehabilitation, Brace uses exercise tracking, gamification and community support to improve both recovery engagement and mental health outcomes arising from research that has found that rehab program completion rates can be as low as 50%.
  • MoveAhead from Dr Jamie McGann and Dr Johann Issartel: MoveAhead is based on years of clinical experience from both founders, as well as practical research carried out with the GAA which has found that children’s movement skills are deteriorating in line with increased use of screens and technology. MoveAhead is the world’s first motion tracking and movement analytics platform built specifically for children, which informs games to assist with improving children’s movement skills.
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Identifier from Dr Brian Kent/St James’s Hospital: OSA Identifier is seeking to reduce the wait time for a sleep apnea diagnosis, which is currently up to two years. OSA Identifier has developed an app to provide at-home data which can be reviewed by clinical specialists and both inform and speed up diagnosis and treatment options for sleep apnea.

The Smart D8 consortium is led by The Digital Hub, St James’s Hospital, Dublin City Council and Smart Dublin, together with the Guinness Enterprise Centre, HSE Digital Transformation, Tyndall National Institute, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, Trinity College Dublin Research & Innovation, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, National College of Art & Design, and Health Innovation Hub Ireland. 

AIMs project works concludes, as framework of recommendations to support SME innovation procurement is prepared

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The “AIMS for Health Innovation – All-Island MedTech SMEs for Health Innovation”, funded by InterTradeIreland’s SYNERGY programme, is a joint initiative between Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) and Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI). The overall goal is to identify an improved adoption process within Health and Social Care (HSC) in NI and the HSE in Republic of Ireland (ROI), to support smaller SMEs and start-ups and encourage collaboration between industry and healthcare stakeholders. The partners will now develop a framework of recommendations to support SME innovation procurement in secondary care across the island of Ireland.

The project consisted of two in-person workshops with SMEs from NI and ROI held in March 2023 in Belfast, and May in Dublin. These included discussion around challenges for SMEs in health procurement. Following Workshop 1, a Working Group was established to seek input from healthcare and procurement representatives. The challenges identified were explored further via breakout groups at Workshop 2, held in May 2023 in Dublin. In addition to SME representatives, HSC, HSE procurement, policy and state agency representatives were in attendance for Workshop 2 to make recommendations that aligned with health procurement needs. These recommendations were discussed at the second Working Group meeting on 20th June 2023.

The framework of recommendations is currently being compiled and a full report will be published September 2023.