Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Could drones deliver your medicine?

Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Show Notes

What if the biggest challenge in healthcare wasn't medicine...

...but getting the right people to work together?

In Part 1 of this fascinating conversation, Professor Derek O'Keeffe — consultant endocrinologist, engineer and founder of the Hive Lab at the University of Galway — explains why solving healthcare problems often starts outside the hospital.

From delivering medicines by drone after Storm Ophelia, to creating smart connected medical devices and bringing engineers and clinicians together, this is a story about practical innovation that is already changing lives.

In this episode: • Why Derek calls himself a "physicianeer" • Why healthcare is full of engineering problems • The remarkable drone medicine delivery project • Why regulation is often a bigger challenge than technology • The story behind the "digital stent" • Why the best innovations start with a real human problem

This isn't a conversation about gadgets.

It's about using technology to make public services work better.

Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.

Find out more about this year's Leadership Summit and Awards at: www.digitalgovawards.com

If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe and share.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction 01:35 What is a "physicianeer"? 03:20 From engineering to medicine 05:12 Why healthcare is full of problems to solve 08:15 Why technology isn't the difficult part 10:48 "The technology is easy. The people are hard." 11:24 The idea that led to medicine delivery by drone 13:18 Aviation, pharmacy and regulation 16:05 Building the Hive Lab 18:42 Collaboration between engineers and clinicians 21:15 The digital stent project 24:10 The garden hose moment 26:40 Why innovation often stays in the drawer 28:50 Making technology work for people 31:00 Final thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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