Pauline Fitzgerald - Women in STEM Awards 2024 Shortlist (Health Technology)

Pauline Fitzgerald, currently serving as Programme Manager for Specialised Care Services in Technology and Transformation at the Health Service Executive (HSE), has been shortlisted for the prestigious Women in STEM Award 2024 in the Health Technology category. With a career dedicated to advancing digital transformation in healthcare, Pauline’s work is reshaping how specialised care services are delivered across Ireland, focusing on improving patient outcomes through innovative technology.

In her current role, Pauline leads the development and implementation of the Specialised Care Services Clinical Management System (SCS CMS). This system enhances care delivery in critical areas such as palliative care, ensuring that healthcare professionals can access vital information efficiently and securely, improving the quality of care provided to patients. Under her leadership, the SCS CMS has been recognised for modernising how specialised care services are managed, streamlining processes, and driving efficiency across the healthcare system.

In addition to her work on the SCS CMS, Pauline led the award-winning project, “Making Specialist Services Electronic – Paper to Digital.” This ambitious initiative involved the implementation of TrakCare, an electronic health record system from vendor InterSystems, across two key facilities: the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the National Forensic Mental Health Services. The project represented a major step forward for both institutions, marking them among Ireland’s few hospitals to implement a full electronic health record system. The success of this project earned a Tech Excellence Award, underscoring its importance in modernising patient care.

Damien McCallion, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at HSE, praised Pauline's role in this significant achievement, stating:
"Pauline was the inspirational leader in driving the successful electronic health record project in our National Forensic Mental Health Hospital and National Rehabilitation Hospital. This was a major success and is one of Ireland’s few hospitals to have a full electronic health record system. The feedback from staff on the ground has been great, and I witnessed this personally on a recent visit to the hospital. Pauline’s drive, skills, and energy undoubtedly were key factors in ensuring success against tight deadlines as the NFH was a new build hospital, so there was no scope on the deadlines."

Fran Thompson, Chief Information Officer at HSE, further commended Pauline’s efforts, noting:
"Pauline is a true champion of electronic health records and a role model with her ability to engage with multiple service teams while successfully managing and delivering the overall complex programme of work."

Pauline's team has also been shortlisted for multiple awards in the Public Sector space, highlighting the impact of their work. The Specialised Care Services CMS has been recognised in several categories, including:

• Most Collaborative Public Sector Project
• Best ICT Project of the Year
• Best Use of Cloud in Digital Transformation
• HealthTech Innovation of the Year (Product or Service)
• Digital Leader of the Year in Public Sector

These accolades reflect not only the system’s technical excellence but also the collaboration it fosters among healthcare providers. The system’s cloud-based approach has been particularly commended for enabling seamless access to critical patient data, allowing healthcare professionals to provide more responsive and personalised care.

Pauline’s work is grounded in a commitment to healthcare transformation, focusing on how digital tools can address the complex needs of specialised care services. Her leadership in the development of the SCS CMS has contributed to HSE’s broader goals of delivering more integrated, efficient, and patient-focused healthcare solutions across Ireland.

The recognition Pauline has garnered through the Women in STEM Awards and various Public Sector Award nominations highlights her influence as a leader in health technology. Her work not only contributes to transforming healthcare delivery but also sets a standard for how technology can be utilised in public sector healthcare systems to achieve tangible benefits for both professionals and patients.

Pauline Fitzgerald’s ongoing contributions to healthcare technology make her a standout figure in the field, and her nomination for the Women in STEM Award 2024 is a testament to her dedication, leadership, and vision for a more connected and efficient healthcare system.