Given the increasing importance of information technology within the health sector, the lack of a national IT health strategy has been seen as a fundamental gap that has prevented the Department of Health and the HSE from running a fully modernised service.
Also, while the Government had been working on a Health Information Bill for the last number of years, which would facilitate the much heralded unique patient identifiers, there was little sign that this legislation was being progressed. These two factors combined meant that Ireland was far from leading the way in the area of eHealth.
The introduction of computer technology had brought Irish education to “a turning point in teaching and learning”, the Minister for Education said at the launch of a public consultation on use of technology in schools.
“ICT (information and computer technology) is not another subject, it is another set of tools,” Mr Ruairí Quinn said yesterday. But while its potential was huge it was important to question what benefits we expected to see coming from use of technology in education.
Read more: IE: Public consultation opens on use of technology in schools
Initial details of the line-up for ActivAge were announced DHDA CEO Edel Flynn and speakers confirmed to date include Dr David Plans, leader of product vision at Biobeats, Dr Lloyd Humphreys, head of business development at Patients Know Best, and Dr Richard Pope, consultant physician (telehealth) at Airedale Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
“E-health is one of the major growth areas in digital right now,” said Flynn.
The Government's advisory body on trade, science, technology and innovation says changes must be made if the country is to meet demand for skills in this area between now and 2018.
The report also predicts that more than 44,000 job openings in the Information and Communication Technology sector could arise over the next six years here.
Read more: IE: Improvement needed at 3rd level to meet ICT jobs demand - Forfás
Heralded as an appointment vital to the Government’s technology direction, McCluggage became the State’s first CIO in June 2013 and is responsible for the strategic direction of technology right across the public sector.
Read more: Ireland's first CIO says we must 'challenge the status quo'