Irish Life Health
Care-Connect was formed in 2022 as a partnership between Centric Health and Irish Life Health to provide remote digital chronic disease management to Irish Life Health members.
Unlike traditional health insurance, we focus on keeping our members healthy. That’s why we offer more preventative benefits than any other health insurer. And when you’re not feeling well, we still have all the benefits you’d expect with fast access to the consultants, specialists and hospitals. We endeavour to provide the services and experience that you deserve. That’s why more than 90% of our customers stay with us.
We are part of the Irish Life Group, one of Ireland’s leading financial services companies with over 1.6 million customers. For over 80 years, it has helped people in Ireland embrace change and build better futures through its innovative products and dedication to customer care.
As an Irish Life Health member your health is of the highest importance to us and that’s why we offer the following value added services to help keep you healthy, including Digital Doctor, Healthy Minds, Back-Up, Minor Injury Clinics. These key benefits are available on all Irish Life Health hospital plans.
20+
Years Experience
Our Patient Team
Living and working across Ireland, Care-Connect's nurses, admin coordinators, pharmacy & medical support team deliver an integrated, friendly, professional and personalised remote care service to patients.
Our team liaises closely with the patient’s registered GP or hospital care team when escalation of care is indicated to improve health outcomes and promote continuity of care.
Our team.
Dr Donal Bailey
Dr. Donal Bailey is a highly respected medical practitioner and innovator in healthcare. He graduated from Trinity College Dublin and earned an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine from Queen Mary University London1. Dr. Bailey has been with Centric Health since 2016, where he currently serves as the Director of Clinical Innovation1. He is also the CEO of Care-Connect, a care management business in collaboration with Irish Life Health1. His work focuses on improving patient care through innovative solutions and technology, making significant strides in the healthcare industry.
Megan Smith
Megan Smith is the Head of Product and Partnerships at Care Connect1. She began her career as a physiotherapist in a small community hospital in South Africa, where she treated patients across various wards, including ICU, paediatrics, maternity, medical, orthopaedics, and neurosurgery1. Her diverse clinical experience spans from rural, lower-income communities to high-tech facilities in global cities1. At Care Connect, Megan focuses on developing innovative healthcare solutions and forging strategic partnerships to enhance patient care and service delivery
Aoife Coughlan
Aoife Coughlan graduated as a dietitian from the University of Ulster in 2009 and completed her PhD in paediatric nutrition in 2012. With over 12 years of experience in clinical research and programme management, she has managed clinical research programs across Ireland's largest paediatric hospitals. Aoife also spent 3 years as a programme manager at a genomics start-up, overseeing their rare disease programme and facilitating access to whole genome sequencing for families with rare conditions. Since joining Centric Health in 2020, she initially managed the HeartCare at Home heart failure remote monitoring research programme before moving to her current role in establishing Care-Connect.
Dr. Matthew Barrett
Matthew Barrett is a UCD graduate who completed subspecialty training in advanced cardiovascular imaging at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He currently works as a consultant cardiologist, focusing on community care, eHealth, and chronic disease management between St Vincent’s Healthcare Group and HSE Community Health Organisation 6. He leads the Irish arm of the PASSION-HF research consortium, developing technological solutions for heart failure care, and is the lead investigator in multiple clinical trials on automated delivery of guideline-directed HF therapies. Additionally, he is involved in developing HF monitoring hardware. His special interests include advanced cardiac imaging, heart failure, and the use of eHealth in chronic disease management. He has published on the use of biomarkers and home monitoring solutions in heart failure care.
Ciara Mathews
Ciara Mathews is our nurse lead for Care-Connect and has over 15 years’ experience working in the acute hospital setting. After graduating from Waterford I.T with a BSc in General Nursing, she emigrated to Canada, where she worked on an acute medical cardiology ward. Once she returned home, she has worked in various hospital settings before settling in the Emergency Dept. Ciara made the move to Centric to work as the nurse lead with the Heart Failure programme and now leads the programme with Care-Connect.
Prof Richard Costello
Professor Richard Costello is a prominent figure in respiratory medicine, serving as a Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and a Consultant Respiratory Physician at Beaumont Hospital. A graduate of RCSI, he furthered his training at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. His research focuses on digital medicine for managing respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD. He has published over 180 research papers and holds multiple patents. Professor Costello is also the founder of Phyxiom, a company dedicated to improving inhaler adherence through innovative technology
Dr Paddy Halligan
Dr. Paddy Halligan is a distinguished Irish physician renowned for his contributions to medical research and patient care. With over two decades of experience, he has specialized in cardiology, pioneering innovative treatments for heart disease. Dr. Halligan earned his medical degree from Trinity College Dublin and completed his residency at St. James's Hospital. He is a passionate advocate for public health, frequently speaking at international conferences and publishing in esteemed medical journals. His dedication to improving healthcare in Ireland has earned him numerous accolades and the respect of his peers.
Prof John Garvey
Professor John Garvey is a leading expert in respiratory and sleep medicine, currently practicing at St. Vincent's Private Hospital in Dublin. He specializes in sleep-disordered breathing, non-respiratory sleep disorders, and chronic ventilatory failure12. Professor Garvey is also skilled in endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and lung cancer management1. His extensive research and clinical work have significantly advanced the understanding and treatment of sleep-related conditions in Ireland2