Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the purpose of her visit to the United States in February 2008; the official engagements that she undertook; the persons in her travelling party; the cost arising from the trip, including the cost of the use of the Government jet; and her views on whether this level of expenditure represented value for money for the taxpayer. [39309/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The visit to the United States in February 2008 afforded me and senior medical advisors from the Department of Health an opportunity to visit some of the most prestigious healthcare facilities in the world. The purpose of the trip was to learn lessons from visits to world leading medical institutions with particular emphasis on the latest developments in cancer care and on developing a new oral/dental policy for Ireland. Along with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Dental Advisor, I visited the healthcare facilities with a view to seeing, at first hand, how services are planned, organised and delivered. These included the Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas and the Veterans Administration (V.A.) Medical Centre in Washington DC. I also met with Professor Provonost of the Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. The visit allowed discussion with top American medical professionals along with senior Irish doctors who have made a career in the US.

MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston is one of the largest hospitals in the world dealing with approximately 80 thousand cancer cases a year. It has ranked as the number one cancer hospital in the United States for 6 of the last 9 years.

On the recommendation of my Chief Dental Advisor I visited the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. Regarded as one of the most innovative centres for dental training in the world, the visit was helpful to the process of developing a new oral policy here in Ireland.

The Mayo Clinic is internationally renowned as a centre of medical excellence.

The Veterans Administration has an international reputation for delivering efficient and high quality health services at lower costs than many other parts of the US Healthcare System. The VA hospital in Washington has an increasing emphasis on moving to community based services, using the latest technology in managing chronic illnesses and reducing in-hospital stays, and reducing the cost of treatment.

Our meeting with Professor Provonost of Johns Hopkins University Hospital dealt with aspects of their work on infection control standards. Techniques used by the hospital have delivered significant reductions in the transmission of infection.

I met with the Deputy Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Mr Tevi D. Troy to discuss matters of mutual interest in regard to health policy and health care delivery.

The trip also afforded an opportunity to meet with Science Foundation Arizona, with Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel and other business leaders as well as members of the Irish Community.

I also met with members of the Arizona state senate, members of the House of Representatives and with Governor Janet Ann Napolitano (now the United States Secretary for Homeland Security).

Details of the party which travelled to the United States are set out below. Mary Harney, TD, Minister for Health and Children Mr Brian Geoghegan, Minister Harney's husband Mr Paul Flanagan, Minister Harney's Private Secretary Dr Tony Holohan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children Dr Margaret Shannon, Dental Advisor, Department of Health and Children Mr Chris Fitzgerald, Principal Officer, Public Health Division, Department of Health and Children Mr Derek Cunningham, Press Advisor Ms Patricia Ryan, Special Advisor to Minister. The table below sets out the total paid by my Department in respect of this visit. The cost of air travel in the Government jet is not included as this was met by the Department of Defence.

The facilities visited are internationally recognised centres of excellence with proven track records for innovation and results. The meetings were of particular benefit to me and my officials with regard to the major reorganisation of our national cancer services and in developing a new oral/dental policy in Ireland. We also looked at a number of patient safety initiatives and developments in relation to performance management and the use of information including electronic patient records, all of which are very relevant to improving health service delivery here.

In regard to official engagements, the itinerary for the visit was as follows:- Friday 1st February 2008 11:45

Depart Baldonnel Airport 13:50

Arrive in Bangor, Maine for stopover 14:50

Depart Bangor 18:00

Arrive in Prescott Arizona 19:30

Arrive at hotel 20:30

Dinner Saturday 2nd February 07:30

Depart hotel for Phoenix 10:00

Visit Mayo Clinic 5777 East Mayo Blvd, Phoenix 14:00

Visit to College of Medicine Arizona State University 300 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ 16:30

Visit Mr Donald Budinger, Chair of the SFAZ Board 7648 N Shadow Mountain Road, Paradise Valley, AZ 17:30

Meet with Dr W Harris, Science Foundation Arizona and

Mr Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel 18:00

Dinner hosted by Science Foundation Arizona with representatives from state senate, Senate and the House of Representatives

Sunday 3rd February Private Day

Monday 4th February 06:30

Depart Hotel 09:30

Visit to A.T. Still University (ATSU) Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, Address: 5850 E. Still Circle Mesa, AZ 85206 12:30

Lunch with Governor Napolitano 14:30

Meet with AZ Women's Leadership Forum and Irish Community

Venue: Irish Cultural Center, Phoenix

Evening Dinner hosted by the Dental University

Tuesday 5th February

09:00 Pick-up from Hotel

Transfer to Phoenix Airport 10:00

Depart Phoenix Airport for Houston 13:10

Arrive Houston (Hobby Airport) 14:00

Visit M.D. Andersen Cancer Centre Houston 17:00

18:00pm Dinner hosted by MD Anderson

Wednesday 6 February

08:30 Pick-up from Hotel

Transfer to Hobby Airport, Houston

09:30 Depart Hobby Airport for Washington

13:00 Arrive Andrews Air Force Base

13:10 Transfer to Veterans Administration 50 Irving Street, NW, Washington, DC 20422

14:00 Meeting with Veterans Administration

16:30 Transfer to Hotel

17:30 Meeting with Dr. Peter Pronovost Conference Room

20:00 Dinner with Professor Provonost, Johns Hopkins University Hospital and Veterans Administration representatives etc

Transfer to Hotel

Thursday 7 February

08:50 Transfer to Department of Health and Human Services

09:30 Meeting with Deputy Secretary of Health, Dr. Tevi David Troy.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. – Washington, D.C. 20201

Transfer to Andrews Airforce Base

14:00 Depart Andrews AFB.