EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalists: Mark McCloskey, Oneview Healthcare

Mark McCloskey is the founder of Oneview Healthcare and the company's president.

McCloskey had a varied career in retail, telecoms and then banking – where he co-founded the country’s first independent ATM operator – before he founded Oneview in 2008 .

Oneview Healthcare uses consumer technologies to provide a user-friendly platform of patient engagement and clinical workflow solutions in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

The company, based in Blackrock, in south Dublin, became the first Irish company to float on the Australian Securities Exchange following an oversubscribed IPO in March this year which raised 62.4 million Australian dollars.

The company has more than 100 employees operating from offices in Dublin, Dubai, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Sydney and Melbourne.

The platform is live in nine healthcare facilities (three in San Francisco; three in Australia; two in Dubai and one in Dublin) and is deploying in 10 further facilities in Australia and the US.

How does the product work?

Oneview Solution can be used on a range of hardware including an all-in-one computer, a TV screen, a consumer tablet or a smartphone, and provides patients with educational content about their condition, up-to-date clinical information, the ability to send and receive messages with their doctors and nursing staff and the ability to stay connected to family and friends via live links such as Skype.

For healthcare professionals, it provides a single point of access to patient information and allows the care team to digitise their workflow on the same platform.

What vision/lightbulb moment prompted you to start-up in business?

I founded Oneview following my experience recovering from knee surgery. Soon after being discharged, I was on a flight and wondered why I was having a better experience with the individual in-flight entertainment system 30,000 feet up than in that hospital room. Before I landed, the idea for Oneview Healthcare was born.

What was your "back-to-the-wall" moment and how did you overcome it?

In 2012, Oneview was at a bit of a crossroads. Although we were beating rivals in tenders for business in hospitals, we were unable to convert these opportunities into commercial contracts – primarily over concerns that our company debt might be an issue over the course of five-year software contracts. With the help of our newly appointed chief executive, James Fitter, we raised about £5 million, mostly in Australia, and were able to restructure our debt.

What were the best pieces of advice you received when starting out?

The best career advice I received was from former colleagues and business leaders who said: “You have to always believe in what you are doing and have the courage to adapt to changing landscapes.” There is also a quote from Richard Branson which is one of the mottos I try to follow: “Never dwell on failures, always focus on the next project.”

What is the hardest thing you have done in business?

The hardest thing I have had to do was to convince my family that Oneview was going to be a great success. I have had to make great personal sacrifices to be away from the family for long periods for the past eight years to fulfil this dream.

What is your biggest luxury?

My golf clubs

[ http://www.oneviewhealthcare.com/ ]