Category: News

Connected Health and ORPEA Residences Ireland (“ORPEA”) begin pilot study of Connected Health’s airCeption device in two residential care homes in Ireland.

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airCeption® incontinence monitoring device, which uses patented technology to detect and alert users of incontinence events.

 

(From left to right) Oscar (Robbins, Intern, Connected Health; Elaine Keane, Chief Quality Officer, ORPEA Group; Shirley Madigan, Director of Nursing (DON), Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home; Rebecca Vogel, Director of Technology and Special Projects, Connected Health; Dr Steven Griffin, Manager, HIHI

 

(From left to right) Elaine Keane, Chief Quality Officer, ORPEA Group; Rachelle Josling, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), TLC Centre, Santry; Jane Deepa, Director of Nursing (DON), TLC Centre, Santry; Rebecca Vogel, Director of Technology and Special Projects, Connected Health; Dr Steven Griffin, Manager, HIHI

 

On Monday 26 September, Connected Health and ORPEA Residences Ireland (“ORPEA”) began a pilot study of Connected Health’s airCeption device in two residential care homes (Figures 1-3), TLC Centre, Santry, and Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home, Portlaoise. airCeption is a small neat device that “sniffs” the air for odours linked to incontinence. Where residents of residential care homes, living with incontinence, are unable to self-toilet or alert carers when an event occurs, airCeption will detect an event and, via a simple user-friendly app, alerting the care team. Early notification of an event allows for greater resident comfort, a proposed reduction in incontinence associated dermatitis, a painful skin condition requiring additional medical care, and increased efficiencies for residential care staff.

The airCeption pilot study is part of the Health Innovation Hub Ireland Open Call 2022 (link) where innovative companies have the opportunity to work with healthcare organisations to show the efficacy and value of their products in a live environment. These pilots highlight the benefits of novel solutions to the needs of patients, healthcare staff, and the healthcare system. In turn, successful pilots demonstrating value should be considered as must haves for modern patient centred healthcare systems.

Steven Griffin, HIHI Manager, Galway

This collaboration between Connected Health and ORPEA shows their dedication to develop and explore new and inventive solutions to improve resident care, quality of life, and operational efficiencies. This pilot is a great opportunity for an innovative company to highlight the benefits of their product in a live environment while improving conditions for the residents and staff.

Rebecca Vogel, Director of Technology and Special Projects, Connected Health

“We’re delighted to be working with the ORPEA on piloting airCeption with HIHI, incontinence is a huge issue in the elderly care sector in particular. We’re very excited to be in engaged in providing an incontinence management solution that will enable prompt changes and contribute to overall dignity for a patient as well as reallocate staff work capacity.”

John Kelly, Chief Technology Officer, Connected Health

“The insights derived from partnerships like these are invaluable for early-stage technology companies. The collaboration with ORPEA is exciting and will provide Connected Health with rich streams of use-case data, providing a deeper understanding of the impacts of airCeption® and how it advances incontinence care.”

Elaine Keane, Chief Quality Officer, ORPEA Residences Ireland

ORPEA is delighted to participate in this pilot study of airCeption with Connected Health and supported by the Health Innovation Hub Ireland in our homes in Kilminchy and Santry.  As a committed and responsible provider, ORPEA’s ambition is to be a forerunner and innovator by anticipating the evolution of care delivery methods. By keeping a constant watch on innovative devices such as airCeption, and new approaches to care, ORPEA aims to provide itself with the means to offer solutions that are ever better adapted to the needs of residents, but also to the expectations of its employees.

Connected Health

Connected Health Ltd is an independent private home care provider. Connected Health’s services include home care, technology enabled care, remote health monitoring, community enablement, training and nursing agency services.

Connected Health: Raising the Standards of Care

 Health Innovation Hub Ireland

Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) brings enterprise and healthcare professionals together to ideate, evaluate, pilot and drive commercialisation and adoption of innovative technologies, products and services, while enabling greater innovation in healthcare delivery.

HIHI supports companies by providing access to the Irish healthcare system to support product development from early stage validation through to product pilots.

HIHI is a national government backed initiative supported by Enterprise Ireland and the Health Service Executive.

www.hih.ie

 

HIHI/HSE Health Innovation Champion Scholarships 2021/22  announced

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HIHI/HSE Health Innovation Champion Scholarships 2021/22  announced

Today joint government initiative of the Department of Health and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) announce the seven HSE staff who have been successful in gaining a scholarship place on the third year of the clinician led HIHI and Trinity College Dublin Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation. From 54 applicants these seven, (detail in notes) were identified as high potential change makers in the Irish health system and offered a scholarship place among a class of health industry and health sector students.

A HSE and Enterprise Ireland partnership, HIHI holds a number of places for HSE scholarships, offering reduced fees. The aim is to reach right across levels, grades and disciplines in the health service offering the academic opportunity to all. The 2021/22 cohort of HIHI/HSE Health Innovation Champions come from organisations across the country representing a diverse range of roles, departments and levels. These seven are now part of an action focused learning community of 25, focused on accelerating change within their organisations. Over the 12-month programme, the students will complete eight modules, have access to workshops, resources and events to share challenges and experience, learn from expert guest lecturers.

Focusing on new health solutions, students gain a practical understanding of applying new technologies in healthcare.  Examining the role of health economics, quality improvement and the principles of governance in leading effective, innovative health services is a key learning. The postgraduate course culminates with modules seven and eight focusing on a practical project comprising two phases. Along with their fellow students, HIHI/HSE Innovation Champions will be supported to identify and implement  an innovative solution suitable for  each participant’s workplace, that will have a positive impact in Irish healthcare. As the HSE continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, innovation – new ways of doing things – is  vital to the health sector.

Course Director and HIHI TCD Principal Investigator Prof Seamas Donnelly said:

“Speaking as a clinician on the frontline, I know we need to adjust and reset some approaches in healthcare in Ireland and this postgraduate course is part of that effort. All of our students share a common vision of creating an innovative healthcare system to change the system and improve outcomes for patients.

”The application process for this year’s Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation was the most competitive ever. I want to publicly congratulate the outstanding applicants who have been accepted onto the programme.”

Sustained innovation in Irish healthcare, at an economically and fiscally responsible pace, must be a collaborative effort, requiring input from key players across the health landscape. HIHI and TCD recognise this and deliberately recruit students from both the health sector and the enterprise of health to the postgraduate diploma in healthcare innovation. The Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation is currently delivered entirely online in keeping with government recommendations but aims to return to TCD campus later this year.

Notes

Name Position Organisation
Mícheál Bailey Senior Physiotherapist  in Pain Management and  Musculoskeletal Outpatients St Vincent’s University Hospital
Jacinta Greene Senior Paediatric Dietitian Children Health Ireland

(CHI) at Tallaght
Mary Hickey Quality Improvement Lead Tallaght University Hospital
Arathi Noronha Higher Diploma Midwifery

Practice Co-ordinator

 Coombe Woman and Infants University Hospital
Dr. Síle O Connor Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist University Hospital Kerry
Dr. Ivan Yu Paediatric Specialist Registrar

(SpR) and National Fellow for Innovation and Change with the Spark Programme

 Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar
Cliodhna Cotter Senior Pharmacist Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown

New Irish study proves digitising hygiene documentation and environmental auditing results in annual hospital cost savings and improved hygiene audit scores

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Published today, outcomes of a Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) pilot study of an Irish cloud-based hygiene and facilities software solution Hygiene Audits, which helps clinical sites to track and trace infection risks and measure compliance with HIQA National Standards and World Health Guidelines, revealed multiple benefits to digitising documentation in an Irish hospital setting:

  • Cost savings of €64,735 annually moving from a paper-based system to an automated digital system, per hospital.
  • Clinical benefits were demonstrated through the improvement in hygiene audit scores over the pilot period. The improvement in the hygiene audit scores were validated by adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence (ATP) scores.
  • Efficiencies and timesaving  Using the software system, up to 11 hours saved every day through the automation or digitisation of tasks usually completed using manual or paper based processes.
  • Operational benefits  Auditing processes were 66 per cent faster and the use of photographic evidence enhanced the quality. Management oversight was improved with the functionality for real time review of the hygiene status of locations hospital wide. The instant cleaning and maintenance alerts for all relevant staff significantly improved communication. Digital auditing facilitated real time instant reports and a complete audit trail for compliance.

 Glenda Hahn, CEO Hygiene Audits, said:

 “The software validation we received from the HIHI pilot will help to support key decision makers to see not only the clinical benefits but the significant cost savings that can be achieved by using this technology. HIHI kept us all on track with clear goals for the duration of the project. The clinical and economic benefits were tracked and documented with direction and support from the HIHI.”

Hygiene documentation and environmental hygiene auditing are commonly paper based in Ireland. Paper trails provide a point in time solution with limited oversight and are error prone. In 2019, Glenda Hahn and Yvonne O’Loughlin, two nurses with expertise in infection prevention identified that healthcare managers were burdened with time-consuming paper-based systems for hygiene workflows and spotted the need for automation. In response, they developed technology solution Hygiene Audit.

Using RFID (radio-frequency identification technology) smart tags the system allows care staff to view, record and evidence location-based actions right down to room level. This includes workflows for housekeeping and maintenance that are monitored by a hygiene auditing system.  The Hygiene Audits platform gathers, monitors, and displays the data on a management dashboard. With it, managers are better equipped to quickly identify problem areas and assign the corrective action needed to reduce risks of infection transmission.

Eimear Galvin, HIHI Manager TCD,  said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of infection control and effective decontamination of surfaces. Equally, building a strong digital infrastructure in the Irish health service is paramount. Tech solutions such as those provided by Hygiene Audits can move the Irish system forward in both of these areas.”

Claire Phelan, General Manager UPMC Kildare Hospital, said:

“Hygiene Audits brought great visibility to our overall cleaning approach.  We gained great insights and used the data captured and operating dashboards to address gaps in service.”

Hygiene Audits was one of the companies that won the HIHI 2020 annual call. The annual HIHI call brings finalists together for a national dragon’s den style pitch, with the winning products fast tracked into Ireland’s health service for study. HIHI designed a pilot with Hygiene Audits and clinical partner UPMC Kildare Hospital.

Full HIHI case study available here

Health Innovation Hub Ireland launches ‘HIHI Knowledge Network’ – the online toolkit for Irish healthcare innovators

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Today joint government initiative of the Department of Health and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) launched  on-line Knowledge Network to support Irish healthcare innovators. An Enterprise Ireland and HSE partnership, the HIHI Knowledge Network, provides a portfolio of HIHI-developed material, digital programmes, resources, workshops and a formal education programme developed to support Irish healthcare innovators. Fortifying HIHI’s established idea verification, clinical validation and pilot studies.

The HIHI Knowledge Network will support innovators by providing a tool-kit to assist them through the innovation pathway. It will also support an innovation culture within the health system through a suite of knowledge building resources and guidance for healthcare professionals. The four pillars of the HIHI Knowledge Network are:

  • HIHI Innovation Tools: Taking an idea for innovation through to a product used in healthcare systems is challenging and many innovators need support. HIHI Innovation Tools provide this in one space through easily understood, downloadable factsheets covering advice on areas such as regulations, IP, reimbursement, design standards.
  • HIHI Innovation Accelerators: The Knowledge Network offers programmes and workshops to upskill and positively impact the healthcare innovation environment, designed to accelerate both product development skills and health system change.
  • HIHI Innovation Publications: An accessible library of peer review publications of HIIH studies and HIHI research on pertinent health innovation subjects.
  • HIHI Innovation Qualification : The one year Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation is the only innovation course in the country that is clinician designed and actively recruits from both the frontline and health industry. Now entering its third year,  graduates span policy, HSE, primary care, pharma and health tech.

 HIHI National Director Dr Tanya Mulcahy said:

“In HIHI, we believe that Ireland can lead the way in providing innovative ideas and solutions that will directly benefit the Irish healthcare system and across the world. The HIHI Knowledge Network is on-line resource providing access to product development tools, training programmes, workshops and expertise in a single location, building on the in-house expertise of HIHI and leveraging the innovation ecosystem in Ireland.

“It fortifies the work that we already do with health innovators on product and idea development from: clinical connections, focus groups, usability, end user assessments, right through to bespoke validation and pilot studies.”

HIHI Manager TCD Eimear Galvin said:

 “Reflecting the HIHI government departments and unique HSE and Enterprise Ireland partnership, the HIHI Knowledge Network was designed with our two core users in mind – health sector and enterprise of health. The four pillars represent the primary areas of support. The programmes and content offered within these pillars will grow, adapt and update according to HIHI user needs.”

 

 

 

Look who won HSE-HIHI Spark Ignite Cork Regional Final!

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Individual Winner: Aoife Collins The Rapid-Access Online Active Back Care (ABC) Program 

Team Winner: Dr Kevin Deasy/Dr Marcus Kennedy Remote Learning in Bronchoscopy using a Low -Fidelity Airway Simulator 

Runners up:

Dr Paul McCarroll A novel clinical care pathway for the management of acute stable spinal compression fractures 

Leigh Blackmore Cardiac Physiologist led loop recorder implant service 

Conor O’Mahony and Rachel Casey The Posture Post 

Video

See the winners of HSE-HIHI Spark Ignite Dublin Region!

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Individual Winner: Mr Ramy Khojaly A Novel Ankle Range of Motion (ROM) measuring device 

Team Winner: Sarah Louise Killeen and Prof. Fionnuala McAuliffe The FIGO Nutrition Checklist – the first step in pregnancy nutrition 

Runners up:  

Dr Edmond Power, Dr Sarah Taaffe and Prof. Farhana Sharif “Box of Happiness” Resource Tool Kit for Children 

Patrick Healy and Dermot McDonnell Sleepycubs…babies second skin, but your first response 

Clodagh Rooney and Loretta Ratcliffe Targeted Health Care Solutions – IUse App 

 

Video

Check out the HSE-HIHI Spark Ignite Winners from the Galway Region!

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Individual Winner: Claire Ahern AniMammo 

Team Winner: Edel Siney, Andy Byrne and Brian O’Ceallaigh Upper Limb Rehab App 

Runners up:  

Ally Russel, Dr Muhammad Tariq and Maura Rice Helping children learn through play at an early age to manage and control their asthma and allergies 

Jacopo Villani, Ita madden, Mary Kennedy, Ciara Ridge, Mary Byrne, Peter O’Reilly, Petra Daly and Doreen Carpenter Travelling Towards Mental Health Equity 

Dr Muhammad Raheel Garvin’s Colonoscopy Belt 

 

Video

Enterprise Ireland’s €1 million Competitive Start Fund (CSF) opens

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The CSF is open to early-stage companies from all sectors with an eligible innovative product or service set for global markets. The fund will award up to €50,000 in equity funding for up to 20 successful applicants. The fund  aims to increase the number of diverse high potential start-ups (HPSUs) that have the potential and ambition to succeed internationally. It iss designed to help start-ups reach key commercial and technical milestones, including evaluating overseas market opportunities, building prototypes, developing market entry plans, and securing third-party investment.

“At Enterprise Ireland we are committed to helping Irish innovators by backing entrepreneurs and start-ups with the early-stage funding needed to scale internationally,” said manager of Enterprise Ireland’s HPSU division, Jenny Melia.

“Each successful company will receive a €50,000 investment as well as mentoring opportunities with an extensive team of Enterprise Ireland experts and access to entrepreneurial networks which will help companies kick-start their journey to global success. We’re very excited to see what the next generation of innovative Irish businesses will achieve, and we look forward to working alongside the successful applicants to help them grow further.”

Applications close May 25.

For more: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/company/hpsu-funding/competitive-start-fund-all-sectors.html.

 

HIHI/TCD clinician designed healthcare innovation diploma now open for applications – HSE scholarships available

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Applications for HSE and Enterprise Ireland partnership, Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), and Trinity College Dublin one year Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation are now open for September enrolment. The programme is the only innovation course in the country that is clinician designed and actively recruits from both the frontline and health industry. Now entering its third year, typical students and graduates come from the Department of Health, HSE, primary care, pharma and health tech.   These form part of a year-on-year a growing network of national Innovation Champions.

Focusing on new health solutions, students gain a practical understanding of applying new technologies in healthcare.  Examining the role of health economics, quality improvement and the principles of governance in leading effective, innovative health services is a key learning. The postgraduate course culminates with modules seven and eight focusing on a practical project comprising two phases.  They are supported to identify and implement an innovative solution suitable for each participant’s workplace, that will have a positive impact in Irish healthcare. Some of the innovations that students were supported to develop in the 2019/20 cohort:

  • Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) programme for teenagers experiencing social anxiety.
  • Looking at virtual assistants and smart automation services in primary care.
  • Experimental device for screening of Parkinson’s disease.
  • Diagnostics access platform to support   improving clinical care and disease surveillance in low-to-middle income countries.

As a HSE and Enterprise Ireland partnership, HIHI holds a number of places for HSE scholarships, offering reduced fees. The aim is to reach right across levels, grades and disciplines in the health service offering the academic opportunity to all. There are seven HSE scholarships available at reduced fees. The students become part of an action focused learning community focused on accelerating change and innovation within their organisations.

Course Director Prof Seamas Donnelly said:

 “Speaking as a clinician on the frontline, I know we need to adjust and reset some approaches in healthcare in Ireland and this postgraduate course is part of that effort. All of our students share a common vision of creating an innovative healthcare system to change the system and improve outcomes for patients. They come from both industry and the healthcare community and that is a unique aspect to this programme of study. Drawing leaders from across healthcare landscape to drive the national healthcare innovation agenda.”

Current student, John Kelly, Deputy CEO Tallaght University Hospital said:

“Innovation is one of the key pillar of the TUH Corporate Strategy which was launched in late 2019. I am completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation Healthcare to provide me with the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills to assist me to embed a culture of innovation in a large teaching hospital.”

2021 graduate Caitriona Heffernan, Innovation Programme Lead, Cork University Maternity Hospital said:

“I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to be an agent of change and innovation within their own expert area of work or indeed at a wider organisational level across healthcare. The internal network of healthcare innovators in Ireland is rapidly growing and this is such an exciting time to get involved.”

Applications close June 16 for HSE scholarships and June 30 for general applications.

Information webinars

Information webinars for September 2021 enrolment will begin Wednesday March 31, offering prospective students the opportunity to find out more about the course. In each session you will hear from an expert in the field of healthcare innovation, receive detailed information about the course content, and hear from past students of the course. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and speak with facilitators of the course.

Please register attendance here:

Health Innovation Hub Ireland wishes Dr Colman Casey the very best in his retirement and appoints interim Director

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Dr Colman Casey, UCC, who has led Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) since 2015, announced his retirement last week. The entire HIHI team across Cork, Dublin and Galway, thank him for his leadership and wish him the very best in his retirement.

National HIHI PI Prof John Higgins said:

“Colman has provided great leadership in this role. He has contributed very significantly to the successful establishment of Health Innovation Hub Ireland and has helped build very strong foundations for the future.  We wish Colman health and happiness in his retirement and look forward to continued success for Health Innovation Hub Ireland.”

Dr Tanya Mulcahy, UCC, will be acting as Interim Director for Health Innovation Hub Ireland over the next six months, ensuring  seamless continuity of the HIHI programme and time to recruit a suitable successor.