The recently established Allview Healthcare chain of dermatology clinics, founded by Eoin O’Reilly and Dr Rupert Barry, claims to reduce waiting times for patients and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Already boasting nine outlets in the Republic since its commencement in 2020, the enterprise is now seeking expansion in the UK and additional healthcare sectors.
Endorsed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the VHI, the company has devised a strategy that decreases waiting periods for dermatology consultations. A research study completed by Maynooth University validates the company’s claim that its modus operandi minimises carbon footprint by negating the need for clients to commute long distances for consultations, as confirmed by Mr O’Reilly.
Allview utilises the method of teledermatology. Rather than patients waiting to be seen by a hospital consultant, they visit an Allview facility where a nurse captures high-resolution imagery of the affected area and collects the patient’s health history. This data is reviewed by consultants for diagnosis, and subsequent treatment or management is recommended based on the results.
Mr O’Reilly reveals that around half of their patients require surgical procedures, which are performed at Allview clinics within a fortnight of diagnosis. The other half of the patients receive treatment via their general practitioners. He highlights the disparity between private and public patient waits, with private patients waiting for up to a year, and public patients having to wait for two to three years.
Mr O’Reilly cites that 60,000 patients are on the HSE waiting list, and Allview caters to 3,000 to 4,000 annually under the State service, with the potential to accommodate up to 20,000, as stated by its CEO.
Allview is the sole provider for health insurance company VHI, with both entities having completed thorough due diligence prior to engaging with Allview’s services. According to Mr O’Reilly, this effective system provides a timely, cost-effective solution for healthcare providers and insurers and could potentially save lives.
The necessity of early detection and treatment for melanomas, a type of skin cancer, was underlined by Mr. O’Reilly in his explanation. This could be the difference between life and death, and also significantly decrease the cost of treatment – from a few thousand euros in early stages, as opposed to €122,000 at a later stage. The company, up until now, has provided treatment to 25,000 individuals. A research conducted by Maynooth University revealed that the company had helped reduce CO2 emissions by 236 tonnes over a span of two years, this was achieved by reducing patient travel requirements after reaching their 18,000th patient. The company, Allview, which is now a workforce of 65 employees, has invested €7 million into its own business to date. Mr. O’Reilly, who initiated his career alongside Denis O’Brien at Esat and is a specialist in technology, conceived the enterprise after having to wait several months for Dr. Barry to treat his benign condition. He knew Dr. Barry personally. They are currently contemplating expanding their operations to Northern Ireland and Britain and might also consider branching into eye care within the Republic.