TCD Bequest

Helix Health bequest million euro IT Infrastructure to Trinity School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

September, 2009 Helix Health, Ireland's largest Healthcare IT company commit to equipping Trinity School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences with the latest state-of- the- art software and IT infrastructure.

Leading Irish healthcare technology company, Helix Health has agreed to provide the complete IT requirements for a newly developed School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences lab in Trinity College Dublin, including all computer equipment and accessories and Helix Health's pharmacy management software.

The installation involves building over 40 independent pharmacy systems for students to learn about dispensing, drug interactions and pharmacy management practices. It is expected that this new start-of-the-art facility will be available to students later this year. Under the agreement, Helix Health will continue to update and maintain the systems ensuring that the systems in use by the student population reflect accurately the market changes including the latest drug updates and information on drug interactions.

"The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is delighted to have Helix Health as a co-sponsor of the Boots Practice of Pharmacy Teaching and Development Unit” says Prof. Marek W. Radomski,Head of School, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences Trinity College."

The commercial value of this bequest by Helix Health is over €1m euro initially, with a further commitment to equip the lab with specialist Hospital Pharmacy IT infrastructure and Chemotherapy dispensing applications later in the academic year which represents a further commercial value of over €800,000.

"Helix believes strongly in the importance of investment in education and ensuring that students have access to the very best of breed in pharmacy technology" - says Howard Beggs, Chief Executive of Helix Health Group. "Whilst Helix has always sought to support students through research grants and sponsorship, this commitment to the Trinity College School of pharmacy represents by far our biggest commitment to third level education."

Telehealth Partnership

May, 2009 - Helix Health has announced a new partnership with TeleHealth Ltd to provide self check-in and self-test stations to enhance productivity in GP surgeries. The systems are the most secure and robust methods for collecting information from patients, without the need for clinical intervention. They interface fully with Helix Health's Practice Manager patient management software system enabling more quality time on high value work.The Surgery Pod enables patients, without clinical supervision, to perform their own tests which post directly into their patient record. It can be installed in GP waiting rooms to assess patients prior to consultation.The Surgery Pod can also be complimented by the Check-in Pod which allows patients to automatically register their arrival at the GP surgery. A very user-friendly system, the Check-in Pod allows patients to check themselves in so both secretary and doctors are aware of their arrival. Once checked in, the pod refers the patients onto the Surgery Pod for more comprehensive tests.

      Check-in Pod in UCD Health Centre

"TeleHealth Services Ltd (THS) is pleased to have entered a partnership agreement with Helix Health, the country's largest software supplier to General Practitioners. THS ground-breaking systems will enhance twenty-first century GP practice management by enabling GP's to spend more quality time in consultation with their patients. This innovation will have a very positive cost/benefit analysis for the good of both doctor/patient" says Tom Keane, Managing Director of THS.

Also speaking on the partnership, Crevan O' Malley, Sales and Marketing Manager for Helix Health says "Helix Health is focused on developing close partnerships with like-minded technology companies that will enhance our customers' experiences. This is the latest in a number of partnerships that enables Helix Health to offer innovative and diverse products to our customers to complement our core software and IT service".

Award Nominees

March 2009 - The shortlist for the 2009 Helix Health Irish Pharmacist Awards was announced today, 12th March. The Pharmacist Awards are open to all those in the pharmacy profession in research, science and community or hospital based practice fields.

The shortlist includes pharmacists throughout the country, from counties, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Mayo, Sligo and Westmeath. Three pharmacists have been shortlisted in six of the award categories.

2009 Helix Health Pharmacist Awards Shortlist

Category : Sanofi- Aventis Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy
Nominees : Eva Dockery, Sligo General Hospital, Co. Sligo, Geraldine Colohon, Portiuncula Hospital, Co. Mayo, Claire Keane, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin

Category : Helix Health Excellence in Community Pharmacy
Nominees : Brian O’Reilly, Naas, Co. Kildare, Sheila O’Driscoll, Douglas, Co. Cork, Noel Stenson, Achill Island, Co. Mayo

Category : Hilary Haydon and Company Chartered Accountants Pharmacist Contribution to the Community.
Nominees : Mary-Jo Duffy, Duffy's Pharmacy, Ennis, Co. Clare, Dermot Smyth, Breens Pharmacy, Slane, Co. Westmeath, Marie O'Brien, O'Brien's Pharmacy, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

Category : Clonmel Healthcare Young Pharmacist of the Year.
Nominees : Miriam Kerins, Lohan Pharmacy, Galway, Claire Murphy, Unicare Pharmacy, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, John Green, Unicare Newbridge, Dublin 3

Category: Teva Patient Nominated.
Nominees : Richard Woods, Woods Pharmacy, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Donough Connolly, Connollys Pharmacy, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Donagh Corby, Firgrove Pharmacy, Bishopstown, Co. Cork

Category : Ulster Bank Professional Excellence.
Nominees : Mary Rose Burke, Ireland Administration Office, Boots the Chemist, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin, Sheila Ryder, School of Pharmacy, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2. Tim Delaney, Head of Pharmacy, Tallaght Hospital.

Commenting on the shortlist, Howard Beggs, Chief Executive of Helix Health said, "The calibre of entries for this year's awards has been outstanding, and the shortlist is a testament to the hard work and commitment pharmacists throughout Ireland have demonstrated to their patients and to research in the field".

"We have been very impressed with the high standard of practice and innovation the award entrants have demonstrated as well as the great amount of support shown by the public to their pharmacists through the Patient Nominated Award" added Beggs.

At the awards ceremony on May 9th, the prestigious awards for Moroney Barron Solicitors Lifetime Achievement and GlaxoSmithKline Ltd. Overall Pharmacist of the Year will also be presented. The awards were set up to support the Benevolent Fund of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and hope to raise €40,000 this year.

The Benevolent Fund supports those who have been associated with pharmacy and who are now in need of assistance. The funds are put to a wide variety of uses to improve the basic quality of life of those in need. Lack of provision for the inevitable event of retirement, or the unexpected events of being unable to work due to serious illness or premature death of a working spouse, are the primary reasons people need assistance from the Benevolent Fund.

While the typical beneficiary may be an elderly widow of a pharmacist living alone, there are many other kinds of people who require help. Some may find it difficult to believe in the current pharmacy environment, but there are many in the profession, or associated with it, which are affected by poor health or have fallen on hard times. They need our assistance. It is important to remember that the Benevolent Fund considers cases not alone from Pharmacists and their families, but also those from the Healthcare Industry.

Sponsors of Helix Health Irish Pharmacist Awards include Teva, Clonmel Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline, Ulster Bank, Sanofi Aventis, Moroney Barron Solicitors and Hilary Haydon and Company Chartered Accountants.

Helix Health and Health Ireland Merger

GPs vote in favour of Ireland’s most experienced healthcare software group.

Continuous product development key to delivery of more joined up healthcare system - Howard Beggs

February 2009, leading Irish healthcare software provider Helix Health announced today that it is to merge with Health Ireland Partners, forming Ireland's largest and most experienced healthcare software group. The move will see almost 2,000 of the 2,500 GPs registered in Ireland using one of the Helix Health suite of software applications. The decision to merge was finalised at a Health Ireland User Group (HIUG) EGM on February 14th. The merger was voted in favour of by the Health Ireland User Group - a cooperative of 730 GPs.

The merger provides absolute product security for Health Ireland Partners and its customers, and will provide broader access to research and development expertise. Commenting on the partnership, Howard Beggs, CEO Helix Health Group said, "The merger of Helix Health and Health Ireland Partners will guarantee Irish GPs a choice of high-end software products. These products will be further developed through the valuable feedback of the vibrant and doctor driven user group".
"The Helix Health Group's presence in the retail and hospital pharmacy sectors and our extensive installations with Private Medical Consultants, Specialist Clinics and Chemotherapy centres is central to our aim of fostering the development of a more joined up healthcare system and this merger with Health Ireland Partners will further support this" added Mr. Beggs.

The Helix Health Group has been a client of Enterprise Ireland for a number of years and due to their scale and potential for international growth is part of Enterprise Irelands "Scaling Division". Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland commented, "Over the past decade, Irish medical professionals have seen small companies close or cease to trade when market conditions became difficult. This consolidation positions Helix not only as the largest and most successful Irish Healthcare IT company, but one of the country's largest indigenous software companies. The company has significant export revenues and promising potential to further expand on an international scale."

"The newly enlarged Helix Health Group will offer customers a greater choice of products accredited to Irish and European Healthcare standards. Health One, the leading Health Ireland Partners product will retain its name under the Helix Health Group."

Pharmacist Award's Winners

Tallaght Pharmacist big winner at Awards

2009 Helix Health Irish Pharmacist Awards recognise Pharmacist Contributions to Community

Tallaght Pharmacist Tim Delaney was the big winner at the 2009 Helix Health Irish Pharmacist Awards, held at the Mansion House, Dublin, Saturday, 9th May. Tim was the winner of the GlaxoSmithKline Overall Pharmacist of the Year and Ulster Bank Professional Excellence Awards.

Nine awards were presented on the night, recognising professionals from Counties Clare, Dublin, Louth and Mayo who have all demonstrated excellence in their field. The prestigious Teva Patient Nominated Award was given to Donagh Corby from Cork who was recognised for his continuous commitment to his patients, who afforded considerable praise in their nominations.

Speaking at the Awards, Howard Beggs, CEO of Helix Health said, "Tonight's awards are just a snapshot of the hard work and dedication hundred of pharmacists are demonstrating throughout the country on a daily basis in community, hospital and research settings. Their work compliments that of the GP and in recent years the role of the pharmacist has increasingly become one of advisor, referral and at times friend".
"The Patient Nominated Award emphasises the sterling work pharmacists are carrying out and most importantly the value of this work to patients and in turn their GPs. It is clear that Donagh Corby's patients are wholly appreciative of his expertise" added Mr. Beggs.

Overall Pharmacist of the Year, Tim Delaney said, "It has been a fantastic evening and it is a great honour to receive such commendation from my peers. We all work hard in our communities and I am very pleased that I and so many of my colleagues have been recognised here tonight”.  Tim, who is Head of Pharmacy at Tallaght Hospital Pharmacy, was presented with the two awards in acknowledgment of his work as Head of Pharmacy at The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital Tallaght."

The winners on the night were, Noel Stenson from Co. Mayo, who won the Helix Health Excellence in Community Pharmacy Award, Geraldine Colohan, Co. Galway, recipient of the Sanofi Aventis Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy Award, Mary-Jo Duffy, Co. Clare, winner of the Pharmacist Contribution to the Community Award sponsored by Hilary Haydon & Co. Chartered Accountants and Bernard Duggan, Dublin 7 who won the Helix Health Practice Based Research Award. The Clonmel Healthcare Young Pharmacist of the Year Award was presented to Claire Murphy from Co. Dublin, the Ulster Bank Professional Excellence Award to Tim Delaney of Tallaght and Dr. Des Corrigan of Blackrock was the worthy recipient of the Liz Herbert Lifetime Achievement Award which is sponsored by Moroney Barron Solicitors.

An adjudicating panel comprised of respected pharmacists from various branches of the pharmacy profession selected the award winners from three short listed entries in each category.