Author: Klaudia Grabowska

Socrates AI Services Begin Rollout and Collaboration with Heidi Health

Posted on by Klaudia Grabowska

Socrates is proud to announce the rollout of Socrates AI Services, a new suite of tools designed to help GP practices take advantage of AI in a safe, trusted, and practical way.

Alongside this rollout, we are also pleased to share our  collaboration with Heidi Health, one of the most popular ambient AI providers for general practice. Our plan is to make Heidi available as part of Socrates AI Services later this year.

A Phased Approach to AI

Our vision for AI in healthcare is about giving practices choice. We believe the future will not be one-size-fits-all, but rather a tiered approach that balances security, flexibility, and innovation.

That’s why we’ve designed a phased rollout of AI services inside Socrates:

  • Phase 1 (Live now): Closed-loop text AI — for notes, summaries, and chat. (watch the video)
  • Phase 2 (November): Closed-loop ambient AI — speech capture built natively into Socrates.
  • Phase 3 (Planned for year-end): Partner AI services — starting with Heidi Health, enabling practices with Heidi licences to use them inside Socrates.

This approach allows practices to start using AI safely today, while also opening the door to more advanced options as their needs evolve.

Why We Took This Path

Things in AI are moving incredibly fast — what happens in one quarter can feel like four years of normal technology change. That’s why we’re taking a phased approach. It gives us the ability to:

  • Security and Trust First
    Our first phase is closed-loop AI, where everything stays securely within Socrates and our environment. This gives practices the reassurance that data never leaves our environment.
  • Iterate as we go
    By introducing new phases step by step, we can improve features quickly, adapt to customer feedback, and add new capabilities as the technology evolves.
  • Offer real choice
    With our closed-loop services as the foundation and the option to bring in partners like Heidi Health, practices can choose the right combination of tools that works best for them.

What This Means for Practices

With Socrates AI Services, practices can:

  • Start using closed-loop text AI immediately. Reach out today to join our initial rollout list.
  • Look forward to native ambient speech support in November.
  • Benefit from planned partner integrations by year-end, starting with Heidi Health.

This dual-choice model will make Socrates the only GP software in Ireland to combine closed-loop, in-house AI with the option to enable third-party services.


Sean Higgins, Chief Product Officer at Clanwilliam (Socrates):

“With Socrates AI Services we’re giving practices real choice — secure, closed-loop AI built in, and the option to bring trusted partners like Heidi into the system. The future of AI in healthcare is about flexibility and trust, and Socrates is the first GP platform in Ireland to make that possible.”

Raghav, Director UK & Ireland, Heidi Health:

“Heidi Health is excited to be working with Socrates on plans for our first integration with an Irish GP software system. This planned collaboration would allow Heidi to be available inside Socrates for the first time, giving GPs in Ireland a seamless, trusted way to use our services. We look forward to continuing discussions with the Socrates team and developing what’s possible for practices in the months ahead.”

Next Steps

Practices interested in joining the first batch of Socrates AI Services can email our team today to register their interest.

👉 Register your interest in Socrates AI Services- Click Here

Toniq’s latest update makes dispensing faster and easier for pharmacies

Posted on by Klaudia Grabowska

Pharmacy dispensing solution provider Toniq will roll out a new, revamped user screen to pharmacies over the next month, offering users more viewing options and support features.

Toniq senior product manager Luke Tilson said new application features had been developed in response to customer feedback on the screen view and had already received positive reviews from early adopters.

“We absolutely love the Toniq Side Panel — it’s a total game changer for us here at Unichem Hurst and Taylor,” said pharmacist Scott Phillips.  “It’s made everything faster and easier.”

Mr Tilson said it delivered a better experience for users. “What we’ve done is added a new application that sits to the side of the dispensary programme. For pharmacies, it will be really useful for dispensing, by displaying the prescription,” he said.

“Essentially, it is a web view, that’s integrated with the core dispensary application.”

Mr Tilson said it was a step towards paperless prescriptions for pharmacies, “but also on top of that, we’re thinking about other use cases”.

Mr Tilson said other features being developed for the side panel included SmartForm eReferrals, AI and additional support features.

Toniq are currently prototyping AI-generated directions and suggestions, “Also an AI chatbot for users to be able to ask questions from a help article perspective.”

“We’ve already got an internal AI chatbot, but are adding a customer-facing AI bot, in order to present some of that information as well.”

“In low-trafficked areas of the application – where a user doesn’t normally operate in – we now present information on how to use that particular area of the programme in context – while also reducing the need for support.”

Mr Tilson said Toniq would change its major version as part of the side panel release.

“We’ve been on version five for a few years now – so this is a big deal for us and our pharmacy customers. It’ll be quite exciting to get the new version out and make it available.”

Currently, more than 900 pharmacies operate Toniq Dispensary across New Zealand.

Toniq was recently chosen as New Zealand’s first Medsafe-approved electronic controlled-drug register.

Clanwilliam Announces Appointment of Dr Sean Higgins as Chief Product Officer

Posted on by Klaudia Grabowska

Dublin, Ireland – 9th April 2025 – Global healthcare technology company Clanwilliam has announced the appointment of Dr Sean Higgins as Chief Product Officer. As part of his new role, Dr Higgins will lead the integration of Clanwilliam’s pioneering suite of healthcare technologies in organisations across the country.

A GP with over 15 years’ experience in primary care, Dr Sean is an experienced leader in the development of primary and secondary healthcare technology solutions. He was previously head of technology innovation at Centric Health, which manages the delivery of healthcare to over 400,000 patients in Ireland each year. In 2021 he founded Billink Payments, an integrated system for clinical practises to simplify the management of payments, which has been adopted by over 700 clinical practices in Ireland. Commenting on the appointment, Eileen Byrne, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Ireland, said,

“I’m delighted that Dr Sean Higgins has joined Clanwilliam as the new Chief Product Officer. Dr Sean has a distinguished track record as both a GP and healthcare innovator that will help to ensure we remain responsive to the changing needs of healthcare professionals across Ireland.

Dr Sean Higgins, Chief Product Officer at Clanwilliam, commented,

“It’s a privilege to take on the role of Chief Product Officer at Clanwilliam and help to advance digital healthcare innovation across Ireland and the globe. I’m committed to working closely with clinicians and healthcare organisations to ensure that we continue to understand and meet their fast-evolving needs.”

 

ENDS/

 

About Clanwilliam

Clanwilliam is a global healthcare technology group dedicated to improving healthcare for everyone.

Our 1000+ global team members and 25+ core products and services empower over 1.5 million healthcare professionals worldwide to provide exceptional patient care. From pharmacy to GP systems, hospitals to aged care, analytics to messaging platforms, Clanwilliam products and services touch most parts of the patient care journey.

We support incredible healthcare professionals and organisations, including the Irish Defence Forces, the NHS, the HSE, Medicare, the Australian Antarctic Division Polar Medicine Unit, Exeter University, Cancer Research UK, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia – all of us driven by that uniting mission to improve healthcare.

 

Media Contacts

conor@q4pr.ie

Q4PR

Conor Shearman

+353 (0) 860596082

ssullivan@q4pr.ie

Toniq launches New Zealand’s first electronic controlled-drug register for pharmacy sector

Posted on by Klaudia Grabowska

New Zealand pharmacies are invited to go digital and transition to Toniq Guard, the nation’s first Medsafe-approved electronic controlled-drug register.

Launching Toniq Guard today, Christchurch-based solutions developer Toniq is preparing for the roll-out of their innovative and labour-saving technology to over 850 pharmacies.

The company says the cloud-based solution has further applications outside the pharmacy sector with organisations and services required to manage controlled drugs.

Toniq senior product manager Luke Tilson said the company had designed the solution so it could be integrated into other industry sectors in the future.

In coming weeks, the priority is to assist the vast network of New Zealand pharmacies to make the leap forward with the new digital technology, he said.

“The electronic controlled-drug register is integrated with the Toniq Dispensary system,” Mr Tilson said. “Many pharmacists have already had input and fully supported the initiative through a trial program with Medsafe oversight.”

He said support was overwhelmingly positive as feedback indicated the solution reduced the administrative burden on pharmacists.

“Pharmacies are required to keep detailed records of any controlled drugs in stock, such as opioids and medicinal cannabis, given the higher level of risk they pose,” he said. “The current process is manual, so it takes considerable time and effort to maintain the registers and achieve the accuracy you need to manage controlled drugs and meet the scrutiny of auditing.

“Toniq Guard has labour-saving automation, accuracy and security, and as a safeguard there is a requirement for an authenticated pharmacist in the process.

“Toniq Guard produces accurate records of the number and type of drugs in storage, leaving the pharmacist to focus on the core business, looking after patients and customers.”

Mr Tilson said Toniq Guard was in development for several years and formally approved for implementation this week by regulatory body Medsafe.

 

END

Media enquiries:

Ivan Nola, Marketing Manager (Clanwilliam ANZ)

Email: ivan.nola@clanwilliamanz.com

 

About Toniq

Toniq Ltd has been providing software solutions tailored for pharmacy and retail for over 20 years. Toniq is based in Christchurch with support staff in Auckland. Our client base is New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Fiji.

Their offerings include:

  • Toniq Retail: A point-of-sale system designed for retail stores, helping manage sales, inventory, and customer interactions efficiently.
  • Toniq Dispensary: Pharmacy dispensary software that streamlines medication management, integrates with robotic systems, and supports community care, hospital discharge, and rest home patients2.
  • Cloud-Based Tools: Solutions like medication chart services to enhance operational efficiency and patient care.