A Galway doctor has been recognised for her work on a groundbreaking innovation to improve the lives of people with a potentially serious sleep disorder.

Dr Laura Piggott from Gort, who is Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine at St James’s Hospital in Dublin, received a CEO’s Special Award for her project ‘Virtual Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) Identifier Pathway: A Whole New World?’ at the annual HSE Spark Summit in Dublin.

Already succeeding in slashing waiting times for people with the conditions to get the help they need, it was one of 12 innovative solutions to healthcare challenges recognised

The event celebrates the creativity and ingenuity of frontline healthcare professionals, bringing together international experts, policymakers, and local innovators to explore latest advancements in healthcare innovation.

The HSE Spark Award winners show just some of the ways that using existing resources in different ways, can massively improve processes and reduce pressure on healthcare professionals.

Virtual Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) Identifier Pathway: A Whole New World? is a digital programme to identify and manage sleep apnoea, a debilitating respiratory condition in patients.

It has reduced average patient waiting times from three years to five and a half months, with average cost saving per patient of €1,000 to the HSE.

Speaking at the Summit, Dr Piggott said: “It was an honour to represent St James’s Hospital and our Sleep Medicine team at this year’s SPARK Summit, where we were recognised for our Digital Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Identifier Pathway — a solution designed to tackle the unacceptable wait times faced by patients with this common and often debilitating condition.

“From the outset, we’ve prioritised quality of care, patient safety, and user experience. By combining symptom questionnaires with high-quality home sleep tests, patients can now be assessed promptly—without ever needing to leave their homes.

“Through the myPatientSpace app, we’ve already reviewed over 150 patients via video consultation. With traditional sleep clinic waiting times often stretching beyond two years, it’s clear that simply doing things better isn’t enough—we need to do things differently.

“This digital innovation offers a practical approach to faster diagnosis and treatment. We hope to see similar solutions adopted across other clinics and specialties suited to digital care.

“I would encourage anyone with an idea to go and talk to SPARK. None of this would have been possible without their support and encouragement.”

Caitriona Heffernan, HSE Spark Innovation Lead, said: “This unique event showcases the ingenuity of frontline healthcare professionals who, every day, are transforming the way we think, work, and care through innovative solutions.”

Pictured: Dr Laura Piggott, Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine at St. James’s Hospital, and Ciara Gormley, Customer Success Manager at MyPatientSpace, with the ‘Virtual Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) Identifier Pathway: A Whole New World?’ project.