The competition is for people with ideas for solutions to problems in healthcare. All ideas are welcome whether it is for a medical device, an app, a diagnostic, a service, or a process/quality improvement.

The ideas can be at any stage of development. It can be an early stage idea for a solution or it can be something more developed. The main condition is that your idea will address a real problem in healthcare.

Stakeholders are those affected by the problem in some way. Patients are the number one stakeholder as the problem normally affects patients in the most direct manner i.e., they are sick and waiting for treatment. The clinical team are stakeholders as the problem affects how they treat patients or perform their daily duties. Management are stakeholders as the problem may cause a drain on resources or increase waiting times, etc. Those that pay for a solution or product in healthcare are also stakeholders i.e., the budget holders. The cost of the problem to the state affects the government as a stakeholder.

The patient or the clinical team rarely pay for the solution. It is important to understand the decision makers or payers should be considered as valuable stakeholders.

Should you be successful to be shortlisted, the workshops are eight 90-minute training sessions over four weeks with a qualified person to help you develop your idea towards a pitch. The workshops will be live streamed to accommodate people. The workshops will help you develop the skills required to understand the problem, how it can be addressed, and what is important to the decision makers. How to articulate your idea in a way that shows the value of it to all the stakeholders is a key skill in getting support and funding for your idea.

The funding will be used to develop your idea further. Health Innovation Hub will work with you on how to develop a plan to maximise the impact of the funding to move your idea towards reality. The various resources available to Health Innovation Hub will be used to enable the development of your idea, e.g. prototype development, training and development, and further funding options.

Please contact info@hih.ie or anyone in Health Innovation Hub.

Anyone employed by the HSE or in the voluntary hospitals.

At this stage of the competition, you only need to have basic top level information. A comprehensive review on the topic is not needed. Follow the headings on the application form.

Yes, you can apply as part of a team.

All workshops will be broadcasted in a webinar for any of the successful applicants to view remotely if they cannot attend a workshop.

Yes. Figuring out if your idea works is all part of our discovery process.

If you need inspiration, take a day at work and listen out for people’s complaints (aka pain points). Jot them down and begin to think of innovative ways you could solve these issues.

No, we cannot share past applications. However, you can see a list of past winners and take inspiration from them on our website.

Please contact HIHI for further information. Generally, this is dealt with on a case by case basis.

All participants will learn the innovation process of developing an idea from concept through to an evidence based value proposition for all stakeholders including clinical teams, patients, management, etc. These learnings are relevant and applicable to all projects, services, and process/quality improvements. Participation would be a welcomed addition to any CV or career development plan.