The shortlist of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award was unveiled last month. One of the businesses on that shortlist is Oneview Healthcare, an Irish company, working to improve patient engagement and clinical workflow technology solutions to healthcare facilities in the USA, Australia and the Middle East.
The idea for the business was born out of founder Mark McCloskey's personal experience in hospital.
"I was discharged from hospital, not only with a clean bill of health thankfully, but with a very clear vision of how technology could better serve the needs of patients and those who work tirelessly to care for them. My understanding of the healthcare environment worldwide has deepened considerably since this time and has driven Oneview to develop the best interactive patient care system on the market", he explains.
Oneview is a platform, which allows patients to take a more active role in their care by using technology that facilitates communication between patients and healthcare professionals. It also works to increase productivity for those working in the hospitals and enhance internal communication.
CEO Mark McCloskey explains how it works from a patient's point of view
"If you enter one of our hospitals we know your age, gender and language, as well as why you are in the hospital. Your room will have a TV and tablet that is pre-loaded with educational content on your condition and up-to-date clinical information that allows your to monitor your own progress. It also facilitates instant messaging between patients and doctors."
This technology also means patients can remain in contact with their friends and family if they are in for periods of time. Services such as Spotify, Skype and Netflix are available on the OneView Healthcare platform. Patients can also order their meals on the platform too.
"This is useful because if you have a condition like diabetes, for example, you will only see options that are suitable for you to eat" explains McCloskey.
The Oneview Healthcare platform is also available on chemo chairs, and remembers the patient's settings, to try and make the experience slightly more comfortable.
Global
While the company is based here in Ireland, it's very much a global operation.
"Our target markets are the US, Middle East and Australia. We're live in those three areas at the moment. We're now looking at the UK and the medical tourism market in Asia."
The head office and all of the product development is done in Ireland and the company has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Dubai, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. They plan to open a Chicago office before long too.
"By the end of the first quarter next year we'll have 50 people working in that office."
