Michael J Flynn Consultants Ltd

Lobbying Organisation Michael J Flynn Consultants Ltd

Date published 20 May, 2018

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Jan, 2018 to 30 Apr, 2018

Specific Details Mercy and Mercy Virtual have been at the forefront of healthcare reform in the USA for many years. Mercy Virtual has presented proposals to the HSE to supply proven telemedicine services to older chronically ill patients at home. The benefits to the patients include reduced stress, improved quality of life, reduced mortality, better health outcomes, etc. The benefits to the hospitals include beds made available, reduced dependence on trolleys, reduced pressure on A and E, etc.

Intended results To ascertain whether support exists within Government, Dept of Health, Dept of Public Expenditure & Reform, HSE, main opposition party, local hospitals and all other healthcare stakeholders for the use of telemedicine in Ireland (initially via pilot programs) and if so, what funds might be available within existing budgets, who are the decision makers, what is the approval process, what is the procurement process and timelines. To request an introduction to decision makers. To form a view on the appetite for healthcare reform and the ability and will of the Government, the Department of Health, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the HSE, the main opposition party, local hospitals and all other healthcare stakeholders to deliver the reform. To understand the governance and financial structures of the HSE. To understand the needs of Irish patients and the Irish healthcare system.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Michael Flynn

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? Yes

Client(s)

Client 1

Company name Mercy Virtual

CRO number (if applicable)

Company address 15740 South Outer Forty Road, Chesterfield, Mo 63017, USA

Main business or activity Health

Company website http://www.mercyvirtual.net/

Contact email address enda.flynn@mercy.net

Contact phone number +1 (210) 414-9724

Contact address 15740 South Outer Forty Road, Chesterfield, Mo 63017, USA

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

The Email mentioned the opportunity of bringing telemedicine and other world-class healthcare expertise to Ireland to help with healthcare reform and requested a meeting with the most appropriate person. It included information regarding the Mercy Group, e.g., Mercy is a top 5 US Large healthcare system (revenues $5.5BN) that has invested $100 million to date in developing telemedicine expertise through Mercy Virtual. Pilot projects (270 participants in each) are being scoped in Dublin and Cork to use Mercy Virtual's telemedicine expertise to provide healthcare at home to chronically ill older patients. The email contained a link to an online article regarding Mercy Virtual entitled "A hospital without Patients" published by Politico https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/11/08/virtual-hospital-mercy-st-louis-000573. Financial information regarding Mercy, i.e., not for profit organisation, sees Ireland as its spiritual home (Catherine McAuley) and wishes to "put something back".

Meeting (2-5)

DISCUSSION POINTS 1) Introductions 2) Who is Mercy, Mercy Virtual? Link to Ireland 3) What is telemedicine? 4) vEngagement pilots and roll out -Cork -Dublin 5) Benefits for patients include -Reduced stress for the patient and family -Better quality of life -Less time in A and E -Less time in hospital -Fewer tests -Lower mortality, better outcomes, etc. 6) Benefits for HSE -Hundreds of acute care beds “freed up” each year -Reduced numbers in A and E -Reduced use of trolleys -Reduced numbers of tests and diagnostics, etc. 7) Other projects a) Sepsis ALOS reduction -Mercy ALOS is less than half the Irish ALOS -A 50% ALOS reduction means an extra 30,000 patients a year could be treated in Ireland b) vICU -Reduced mortality, better utilisation of a highly expensive resource 8) Proposal for a new model of care 9) Next steps?

Phone call (1)

Outline information regarding Mercy Virtual and the pilot programs being scoped. Offer to meet to explain how telemedicine could help deliver healthcare reform.

Informal communication (2-5)

SMS seeking to set up a meeting or a phone call and providing a link to this online article to provide background information https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/11/08/virtual-hospital-mercy-st-louis-000573

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Muiris O’Connor Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)

Micheál Martin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Billy Kelleher TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shortall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jack Chambers TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robert Watt Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)