A major international healthcare forum, which was held in Dublin recently, saw leading global executives from 22 countries across the world meet with Irish innovators.
Hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the three-day Global Healthcare Forum saw more than 130 leading global executives from across 22 countries, from both the public and private sector, discuss the future of healthcare and meet with 77 of Ireland’s life science innovators.
The conference provided an opportunity for international healthcare systems to discuss what comes next after the pandemic and the role of innovation in improving patient outcomes. The healthcare system in various global locations was profiled.
Speakers
- Chris Coburn, chief innovation officer with Mass General Brigham, the largest healthcare provider in Massachusetts and one of the largest hospital-based research organisations in the USA with an annual research budget of nearly $2bn.
- Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director, NHS Public Health. She has acted as statutory adviser to two mayors of London. She qualified as a doctor and has worked for more than 30 years in senior roles in the NHS and the UK Department of Health, and in the academic and independent sectors.
- Dr Tad Funahashi, chief innovation and transformation officer, Kaiser Permanent, one of the largest non-profit healthcare providers in the US, with more than 12 million members.
- Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki, director of healthcare investment and PPP projects, Dubai Health Authority that has the mission of transforming Dubai into a leading healthcare destination by fostering innovative and integrated care models and by enhancing community engagement.
- Daniela Hommel, chief financial officer and innovation and strategy executive, Helios Global Health GmbH, Europe’s largest healthcare provider with acute care facilities in Germany, Spain and Latin America.
- Dr Prem Kumar Nair, CEO, IHH Healthcare Singapore, one of the world’s largest healthcare networks, with 80 hospitals in 10 countries including Malaysia, Turkey and Singapore.
Following the conference, attendees spent the next two days meeting healthcare providers, innovators and entrepreneurs to discuss the future of healthcare in Ireland and globally, and to see the difference that Irish life science companies are making.
On Wednesday, June 15, the group were in Galway and Offaly, and the itinerary included a tour of Tullamore hospital, led by the HSE’s Digital Transformation Unit, and meetings with key stakeholders in the Irish healthcare innovation ecosystem. This included Atlantic Technological University's Innovation Hub (iHub), BioInnovate, Health Innovation Hub Ireland, and a site tour of Enterprise Ireland supported company Aerogen which specialises in aerosol drug delivery.
On Thursday, the group visited St James’s hospital, Dublin, with the focus on its digital health innovation. They also met with senior leadership from innovation hubs based in Dublin, hosted by the Guinness Enterprise Centre, and tour Enterprise Ireland supported companies HealthBeacon and Trulife.
On both days Irish life sciences companies had an opportunity to showcase and pitch their innovation offering to the visiting delegates.