1. The Patient and Future Health in Ireland
Louise Houson
MD – Human Health
MSD Ireland
May 2016

2. MSD in Ireland
We employ over 2,000 people at sites in Dublin, Carlow, Cork, Tipperary and Wicklow.
We manufacture or package many of our leading products for the world market in Ireland.
Our Irish sites are renowned for their capability to rapidly introduce new products (and additional volumes of existing products) at minimal additional capital cost, ensuring supply for new product launches / expanding market opportunities

3. MSD’s commitment to Ireland
2,000 employees
Many of the most widely used MSD medicines are developed by our teams in Ireland, where 61% of MSD’s global top 20 products are manufactured. We have invested hugely in the Irish market and our Irish sites are well regarded, and renowned, by our colleagues across the globe.
We have continuously led the way when it comes to our capability to rapidly introduce new products, and additional volumes of existing products, at minimal additional capital cost – ensuring supply for new product launches or expanding market opportunities are served
€11.5 million investment in April to MSD’s first vaccines facility outside of US in Ireland
In the last 3 years we have made significant new investments in Carlow, Dublin, Tipperary, and Cork.
Ireland continues to lead the way when it comes to our capability to rapidly introduce new products, and additional volumes of existing product at minimal additional capital cost.
Ireland plays an important part in MSD’s global success as MSD manufacturers or packages many of its leading products for the world market in Ireland and completed critical late stage R&D for new products in Ireland.
In the past five decades MSD has invested over €2.2bn in Ireland and contributes significantly towards making the pharmaceutical industry the country's leading export sector.
Today MSD employs almost 2,000 people directly in Ireland and provides an additional 9,000 indirect jobs through its operations at eight sites across Ireland.

4. We have a powerful purpose…..
Our aim is to save, change and improve the lives of the patients we serve.
“We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.
… We cannot rest until the way has been found to bring our finest achievements to everyone.”
George W. Merck, 1950

5. When we look at healthcare, the glass is either half full or half empty.
Are we negative about current failings or positive about the future of healthcare
Reasons for optimism, reasons for pessimism….

6. Research Programme Focus Groups with the public
Think Tank and Interviews with key opinion leaders
Survey with General Public
Exploration of public’s wishes and opinions regarding the future of healthcare in Ireland to provide initial direction.
Facilitated discussion with key opinion leaders and healthcare stakeholders in to review focus groups and shape the quantitative survey.
We engaged Ipsos MRBI to carry out a piece of research that would tell us about what people think about the current state of the health service and what hopes they have for the future
What is important to them in a health system that works.
The research was done in three phases………….
Measurement of the general public’s views on the healthcare system and the values they seek from this system.

7. Survival vs. Quality
And what we found that ultimately our health system is based on two principles – survival and quality
Survival is about access to the system in the first place
Quality is about the standards we expect when we’re in the system
Survival and quality

8. Key to the empowered patient
Empowerment
Access
Communication
Quality
Respect
Technology
Ultimately the patient wants to be empowered.
How does the patient feel empowered in our health system??
Access – people want timely and affordable access as a priority – this was the number one priority in our focus groups
Communication – MSD has worked with NALA on the Crystal Clear awards – we want to ensure the patient understands what their diagnosis is, etc
Quality -
Experience – people want clean healthcare settings that are easy to navigate

9. What Irish Healthcare Means To Me
Spontaneous associations dominated by (i) negativity and (ii) secondary care
When we asked focus groups for their spontaneous reactions to Irish healthcare, it was dominated by both negativity and a focus on secondary care

10. How Are These Opinions Founded?
Spontaneous associations are negative
Most initial responses are dominated by negative sentiment and criticism
But positive viewpoints can emerge
When probed, some positive perceptions are in evidence
There is inconsistency of experience
Experiences can vary considerably within settings, groups, even individuals

11. Perceptions Are Shaped By Three Core Sources
Personal Experience
Negative experiences are more ‘memorable’ by their nature
But positive stories also in evidence
Quality of staff interactions (or lack thereof) are critical to the user experience
Word of Mouth
Most have friends or relatives that have shared poor experiences
Poor experiences for those who we value the most (relatives, loved ones) strike an emotional chord
The Media
“Positive doesn’t sell newspapers!”
Crisis reporting about Irish healthcare is arguably the norm
Positive stories accepted to be under-reported

12. The Public Struggle To See Where Its Voice Is Being Heard
The Media
Public can have voice through traditional and social media
Power of health programmes on TV (e.g. Op Trans)
The Ballot Box
Some see progress in health as intrinsically linked to politics
New Minister for Health
The Young Future
Ireland is aging
But hope that younger people may be more health conscious and ‘clued in’
How?
All agree that the public should have a stronger voice in shaping its own health system
However, problems are large and perceived as insurmountable by some
Some struggle to see how the public can have a practical input – merely pawns in the system
Little mention of patient advocacy groups

13. When we look at healthcare, the glass is either half full or half empty.
Are we negative about current failings or positive about the future of healthcare
Reasons for optimism, reasons for pessimism….

14. The Pharmaceutical Industry
The Final Report
Technology
Pharmacists
Primary Care
GP services
Medicines
The Pharmaceutical Industry

15. What is the role of the pharmaceutical industry?

16. Thank you