Nine HSE digital health living labs launched across Ireland

The HSE and partners have launched nine digital health labs across the country working to address issues such as Covid-19 and using AI in healthcare.

A network of nine digital health labs have been launched across Ireland with more to be announced later this year, according to the HSE. Working with various partners, the country’s healthcare authority said the labs will look to accelerate the co-creation and adoption of digital health solutions in Ireland.

They will provide testbeds for new digital technologies through high-impact projects and the leads of each lab presented their plans at an online event earlier this month.

The HSE’s director of digital transformation, Martin Curley, said the network of digital labs is the result of collaboration between clinicians, companies, policy makers, academics, patients and patient groups.

“Collectively the output and impact of the digital health living labs will help Ireland become a European digital health leader in the years ahead with significantly better outcomes for Irish patients,” he said.

Image: HSE

The nine labs include:

1. The Sligo Living Lab, which is focused on areas such as paediatric diabetes and the psychiatry of old age and treatment through virtual labs
2. The St James’ Hospital Living Lab, which is exploring virtual health solutions and enhanced on-campus care through digital technology and data
3. The Tallaght University Hospital Living Lab, focused on stroke management and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through digital means, such as AI
4. The Beaumont Hospital Respiratory Lab, focused on digital research in areas such as treating Covid-19 and other respiratory issues
5. A Dublin-based Virtual Respiratory Living Lab, created to help reduce the number of respiratory hospitalisations and also facilitate earlier discharge of patients
6. Cork University Hospital Living Lab, looking at solutions for long-term respiratory diseases, including the use of wearable monitoring devices such as RespiraSense
7. The Roscommon University Hospital and Portiuncula University Hospital Living Lab, developing automated processes for measuring healthcare staff attendance and sick leave
8. The Wexford Living Lab, investigating technologies such as telehealth and mobile apps to assist older people remotely
9. Cavan General Hospital’s Automation Living Lab, working to implement vital signs automation into patient treatment

Commenting on the labs, HSE CEO Paul Reid said: “Digital is an important tool in fighting Covid-19 and modernising the broader health service. As examples, remote monitoring of patients at home and video consultations have been very important during the Covid-19 pandemic.”