eHealth: a global opportunity for Ireland?

Eoin Gahan

2nd September 2010

Rigorous enterprise

policy research and

analysis

Developing policy advice &

options to address

opportunity & challenges

Evaluating enterprise

policy interventions

Shared Services

Accreditation

Science AwarenessS

cience Awareness

Survey and data collection and analysis

Identifying the issues facing

enterprise

Ageing Well Network

►Vision: “an Ireland that is the best country in the world in which to grow old ……….”

►Forum for reflection and debate, multi-disciplinary, learning from other sectors/countries

►Four key objectives:• Support for reframing the agenda• Influencing proposed National Positive Ageing Strategy• Build relationships: policy makers, service providers and

others• Motivate and support leaders and foster cooperation

►Supported by Atlantic Philanthropies►Silver Tech Group established to look at the

enterprise implications

What are Silver Technologies?►The broad range of technologies and services

in ICT, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and bio-pharms that can positively influence the ageing experience of older people

►Solutions and applications include:

• Health monitoring and diagnostic technologies,

health informatics

• Self-care and diagnosis, telecare, telehealth

• Assistive and remote technologies

• Smart homes – sensors, safety and security systems

The Silver Technology Sector

Why are Silver Technologies Important?

►Demographics• World’s 60+ population will double in size from 11% today to 22% by 2050• In 2011, 76 million aged 65+ in the US• Life expectancy is growing at 5 hours per day, 2 years per decade• Dependency ratio – 4:1 today to 2:1 by 2050• Implications for the costs and models of healthcare, long-term care and service provision

►Changing Needs and Behaviours• Very wealthy “baby boomer” cohort• +55 accounted for 75% of wealth in the EU & 80% of wealth in the US• +65 in the EU have assets estimated at €3 trillion

►Market Potential• Potential market for silver technology is enormous and

growing

• Global tele-health estimated to exceed $12 billion by 2012

• Market for Smart home applications will triple from 13 million people today to 37 million by 2020, estimated to be worth $13.4billion in 2014

►Technological developments

• From a technological perspective, the impact on industry has resulted in a blurring of the lines between formerly discrete sectors. Product development and marketing now more often than not involves alliances or mergers between companies from different sectors and the development of new revenue sharing and business models

Market Forces

Technological developments-Solutions

Market Forces contd.

►Labour Force• Decrease in the working age population of 16 per cent

while the proportion aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 77 per cent

►Health and Quality of Life

• Estimated 100 million Europeans provide regular care, unpaid, for a relative, partner, neighbour or friend

• Growth in demand for greater self-care and substitute products with policy makers and others, in order to reduce the cost of care to the public finances, placing more emphasis on getting those 50+ to make changes in their lifestyles and behaviours to ensure a healthy older age

(Building Blocks) Development of Silver Tech Sector in Ireland► TRIL ( The Technology Research for Independent Living

project), an joint initiative between IDA and Intel Ireland

► TILDA longitudinal study- the most comprehensive study on ageing ever undertaken in Ireland

► The Centre of Excellence for Successful Ageing – a new initiative supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Health

► SFI-funded CSETS – of particular importance are BDI (The Biomedical Diagnostics Institute) and CLARITY (Centre for Sensors)

► The operation of pilot test-bed facilities such as the NESTLING project in DKIT and the complementary activity in CASALA

► A number of existing research initiatives in relevant technologies that will have applications in the silver technology sector, for example, CRANN (TCD), Tyndall Institute and TSSG (WIT)

(Building Blocks) Development of Silver Tech Sector in Ireland contd.► A base of successful indigenous companies, for

example, Valentia Technologies, Shimmer Research, BiancaMed, Episensor and the S3 group

► The presence of some of the major multinational companies in this sector in Ireland including J&J, Baxter, GE Healthcare, Intel, IBM, Microsoft

► A number of representative and advocacy organisations representing the older community e.g. Ageing Well Network, The Age Friendly Counties Programme

► Age-friendly central and local government policies e.g. Minister for Older People, various HSE programmes

► The Smart Economy Framework

► The Innovation Taskforce Report – creating a number of flagship projects

Key Strengths

►Small Country Advantage

►Presence in Ireland of main international and indigenous players

►Leading-edge research and development with top international players

Ireland has many key strengths …..

Research

CLARITY

SHAREBDI

CASALA

NESTLING

GeorgiaTech

TILDA

TRIL

Centre Successful Ageing

TYNDALL

Microsoft

INTEL

Industry

MedicalDevices

J&J

IBM

Baxter

ValentiaTechnologies

GEHealthcare

Minister for

Older People

BiancaMed

Shimmer

Episensor

InnovPolicies

S3

Ireland asa Global Hub

TAX

AgeFriendlyCounties

Ageing WellNetwork

Policies & Institutions

StrongFDI

Funding

NGOsMedical &Nursing

3rd leveltraining

Key Challenges facing Ireland

►Health sector alignment►Other countries moving ahead►Poor Telecommunications infrastructure►Skills deficiencies►Industry structure►Uncertainty over reimbursement models