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Derek Tierney

 Derek Tierney

Job Title and Organisation:
Head of Health Infrastructure & Digital Health

Brief Biography:
Derek’s thirty years’ plus career spans across a range of organisations, both public and private sector, including working across Government Departments and State Agencies. Currently Derek holds responsibility with the Department of Health for delivery of Health Infrastructure including ICT and Digital Health. Derek also oversees the Sláintecare Programme Office coordinating implementation of Sláintecare. Prior to his current role, Derek was seconded as Programme Director to Government’s COVID 19 Vaccination Taskforce. During his time in the Civil Service, Derek has held a number of roles in various Government Departments including leading on whole of Government responses to Brexit and Mortgage Arrears. Derek earlier career includes experience in the pharmaceutical manufacturing, computer and telecoms sectors followed by delivery and commercial operation roles in the Luas light rail system.

Session Title:
“Digital Transformation of our Healthcare system - the critical need for data standardisation”

Session Overview (2-3 sentences):
This session will provide an overview of Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030 published in May 2024. This framework sets key principles and a roadmap to digitally transform health services in Ireland and improve access for patients A key goal of the framework is to put a greater focus on empowering patients by providing them with access to their own health information. The framework also recognises that clinicians and carers want to be able to share information safely so they can provide high quality, connected care and services, which are better coordinated around their patient’s needs. The framework looks to leverage the many opportunities technology can offer, including making joined up health information available electronically through digital health records ― in the form of summary, shared care, and enterprise level, electronic health records (EHRs). This will allow staff to access the right information where and when they need it, to carry out their roles effectively, and provide the best possible care to patients. Data Standards a key foundational enabler to make this happen.

Professional Links (Optional):