Maynooth University’s Innovation Value Institute (IVI) today welcomed Professor Dan Lasserson, the UK’s expert in ‘Hospital at Home’ models and acute ambulatory care, who spoke on the topic of delivering acute medical care for patients at home, his experience of similar models in the UK and opportunities for such an approach in support of Ireland’s HSE services that benefit end users.
In his presentation, Prof Lasserson discussed how advances in diagnostic and monitoring technology could lead to more patients being assessed and treated without any admission to hospital, if that is their choice.
Drawing on his recent research and presentation of clinical cases that he has managed at Warwick University Medical School, Prof Lasserson also spoke about how patients with severe and complex medical problems can be given a care pathway that is personalised as well as delivering key processes of healthcare at home.
Prof Lasserson runs an acute hospital-at-home service from the Geriatric Medicine department at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and is a Past President of the UK Hospital at Home Society.
Prof Dan Lasseron commented: “It is a privilege to be invited by Maynooth University to give this lecture which I hope will be a catalyst for the start of the Hospital at Home journey in Ireland and I look forward to mutual learning and innovation as we look to accelerate the adoption of digital enable models of care across the Irish sea.
“A change in the health system mindset and culture, and using technology to enable a stay left, shift left of care to the home is essential to deliver personalised acute care in a future proofed healthcare pathway. “
Prof Martin Curley, Professor of Innovation at Maynooth University, added: “Shifting more care from hospital to home is one of the key Copernican shifts needed to drive a metamorphosis in our health system. Using digital technologies, such as the Irish developed Blueeye hospital at home system, means patient vital signs can be better measured and managed in their homes than in ninety percent of Irish hospitals. It is positive to see the HSE looking to introduce virtual ward solutions, we just need to go faster to help solve Ireland’s acute hospital bed occupancy problem and perhaps more importantly bring better care and a better patient experience for to all.”
Additional speakers on the day included Karen Kelly, Research Advanced Nurse Practitioner, who discussed how remote monitoring of heart failure patients using the Irish developed patientMpower platform radically reduced patient readmissions at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. Donal Morris, founder and CEO of RedZinc, which has developed the advanced Blueeye hospital home solutions, showcased the next generation of hospital-at-home capabilities now available.
The lecture and discussion was the first event in the Distinguished Lecture Series launched by IVI at Maynooth University and supported by Astra Zeneca. As a follow-on to today’s event, the second International Digital Health Summer School will be hosted by the IVI in MU on June 26 and 27.
Featured speakers for the Summer School will include Russ Brazell, President and Chief Executive of College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), Robert Watt, Secretary General at the Department of Health, Prof Martin Curley, Professor of Innovation at Maynooth University and Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer at the HSE. You can learn more via this link.