The Health Minister's visit to the United States (16–21 March)
focused on strengthening transatlantic cooperation and exploring
innovative approaches to improving health and social care in
Northern Ireland.
Coinciding with St Patrick's Day engagements, the visit included
a series of high-level meetings in Washington DC and Nashville,
aimed at building partnerships and sharing best practice.
Commenting on the visit, Health Minister said: “Visiting the United
States has been extremely valuable and insightful. It provided an
opportunity to engage with leaders across health and social care,
while also showcasing Northern Ireland on a global stage.
“Nashville has a strong reputation for innovation in healthcare
delivery. It was particularly interesting to see that Northern
Ireland is ahead of the curve in some areas, including the shift
from analogue to digital through our encompass electronic patient
record system.
“I was also surprised to learn that I appear to be the first
local Health Minister to visit the National Cancer Institute in
Bethesda, despite our formal partnership dating back 27 years to
the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. That visit underlined the
importance of renewing and strengthening long-standing
relationships.
“In the current political environment in the USA, it is vital
these relationships are viewed as true partnerships, with added
value seen clearly as a two-way street to the benefit of the USA
as much as ourselves.”
The Minister added: “It was striking to see the respect shown to
Professor Mark Lawlor as a well-known friend and equal by
America's leading cancer clinicians and administrators. I
identified cancer as a key area of focus early in my time in post
and the meeting gave me the opportunity to receive an
overview of the innovative and cutting-edge cancer research work
going on there. Such fact-finding opportunities very much reflect
our commitment to ensuring that Northern Ireland remains at the
forefront of healthcare innovation and provides equitable access
to high-quality care."
The Minister also visited Washington's Children's Hospital, where
he met staff and learned about world-leading advances in
paediatric surgery, helping to make procedures more precise, less
invasive and less painful for children.
In Nashville, the Minister held discussions with representatives
from Belmont University and Meharry Medical College, focusing on
digital healthcare and the growing role of artificial
intelligence (AI) and data analytics in improving patient
outcomes.
The Minister said: “AI is already supporting clinicians in
Northern Ireland, particularly in diagnostics and imaging,
helping to improve speed, accuracy and patient flow. Our approach
is to ensure AI is used safely, ethically and in a way that
supports - not replaces - clinical judgement.
“What is clear is that robust ethical frameworks are essential.
In many ways, AI in healthcare needs its own Hippocratic Oath.
“Meharry Medical College's longstanding mission to address
inequality in healthcare strongly resonates with our own
priorities. Tackling the social determinants of health is a
shared challenge that transcends borders.”
While in Nashville, the Minister also met with the Tennessee
Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health and
Substance Abuse Services, and Interfaith Dental, discussing
common challenges including access, diagnosis, treatment and
patient flow.
Reflecting on the visit, the Minister added: “One of the key
lessons from the pandemic is the importance of global cooperation
and information sharing. It was encouraging to meet partners who
are keen to build and deepen relationships with Northern Ireland.
“One provider went as far as to say Northern Ireland already has
the best integrated health and social care structure he has
witnessed globally. The challenge is to make it work more
efficiently and effectively and this trip has helped me focus on
better ways to achieve that outcome.”
Notes to editors:
- Professor Mark Lawler is a professor of Digital Health and
chair in Translational Cancer Genomics at Queen's University
Belfast.
