"Alberta began its digital care record journey almost 20 years ago, with a belief that you should be able to go anywhere in the province and your medical records will be available to you. I am excited to see Ireland about to go down a similar path.

As my colleague, Dr. Chris Hobson highlighted in his recent article in the Irish Medical Times, there are valuable lessons for Ireland to draw from Alberta's success. Both Alberta and Ireland are home to around four million people. Their healthcare systems are publicly funded, and their citizens access care through similar networks of primary care providers, hospitals, and community care settings.

I believe the roll out of a shared care record in Ireland through Health Service Executive will be a game-changer for healthcare in the Emerald Isle. Beyond driving efficiencies, it's a chance to elevate care quality, putting healthcare control in the hands of individuals and unshackling clinicians from clunky systems so they can focus on what they do best - caring for peopl!

While it might seem like just another healthcare IT project, it's much more. This is a strategic opportunity to catalyze innovation and construct a healthcare model that genuinely serves the diverse needs of the people of Ireland."

Brad Porter - CEO Orion Health