Meet Dorcas Collier, HaloCare's Chief Operations Officer

Behind every care model that works well is a leader who understands care from the ground up. At HaloCare, that leadership comes from experience and a strong belief that care works best when it is centred on the person.

We speak with HaloCare’s Chief Operations Officer Dorcas Collier about her career journey, what drew her to HaloCare’s mission, and how integrated, person-centred care continues to shape the way she leads. From frontline nursing to healthcare innovation and system-wide change, her journey reflects the values that sit at the core of HaloCare’s approach to care at home.

Can you tell us a bit about your career path before joining HaloCare?

 My career has always been grounded in caring. I originally trained as a nurse and began my career in the hospital system, which gave me a really strong understanding of patient care at the frontline.

In 1999, I moved into community healthcare, which was a defining moment for me. I was involved in building Ireland’s first GP out-of-hours service, and over the next 24 years I progressed into senior management roles, working at the cutting edge of healthcare innovation - developing new services and leading complex change across healthcare systems.

During that time, I undertook formal training with Trinity Tangent and became a qualified Ambassador in Healthcare Innovation. My focus has consistently been on integrated care, bringing services together around the patient, and I’ve had the opportunity to speak at the World Health Organization on integrated care and change management. I have been very fortunate in my career to have had these opportunities, especially early on—being mentored by remarkable people and working alongside exceptional teams and people. Throughout it all, I’ve never lost sight of the patient experience; it’s essential to see the real person, not just what’s on paper.

All of that experience has shaped how I lead today and underpins my role as COO at HaloCare, where integrated, person-centred care is at the heart of everything we do.

What initially attracted you to HaloCare and its mission?

 What initially attracted me to HaloCare was the people and the vision. I wanted to do it all again and feel that passion from cutting edge healthcare innovation.  From my first conversations with the team, and particularly with David Walsh, I could see a shared ambition to genuinely change how care is delivered in the community.

HaloCare’s mission to empower people of all ages and abilities to live quality, independent lives in their own homes, while reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital admissions, aligns completely with my own career journey and passion for integrated care.

“It takes a whole network of people and services to make living at home for older people possible, and HaloCare is proud to be part of that network. We work collaboratively with community services, families, and clients to keep people where they want to be — at home.”

What has really stood out over the last year is the impact we’re now seeing in practice. We are a virtual collaborative community nursing model, we’ve created a genuine alternative pathway to care that supports people to remain at home for longer while also reducing pressure on acute services. We’re providing proactive and preventative care, intervening earlier and more effectively. We can provide a solution for many people on waiting lists for home support.

“The Care Hub team are great at getting to know the clients and from that relationship we can spot soft changes in our clients. A soft change might be something like a slight change in someone’s temperament, or they are maybe a little bit more confused than usual.

Being able to spot the soft changes early and having a relationship with the clients means we can help to identify faster what the potential problem might be. This means we can be proactive before a higher level of care is needed such as a hospital or ambulance”

We’ve seen this particularly in our new collaborative approach to dementia care at home, where our virtual support in collaboration with families and community-based supports are making a real difference for individuals and families. For me, that combination of innovation, integration, and measurable impact is incredibly motivating and it’s why HaloCare feels like the right place to be.

Are there any key experiences or lessons from your earlier roles that have shaped your approach as a COO today?

There are a few key lessons that have really shaped how I lead today. The first is that you’re only ever as strong as the team around you. Having worked at the frontline and then moved into management, I’ve learned that the best outcomes come when you trust your people, invest in them, and genuinely listen to those doing the work every day.

I also believe very strongly in leading by example. I’ve never asked anyone to do something I wouldn’t be willing to do myself, and staying connected to the reality of care delivery is essential. Alongside that, I think fair leadership and strong emotional intelligence are critical, being consistent, respectful, and understanding the pressures people are under builds trust and creates a culture where teams can thrive.

Another key lesson has been the importance of always looking ahead, staying at the forefront of innovation, continuously reviewing the market, and being willing to iterate and adapt.

"Healthcare doesn’t stand still and neither can we. It’s moving at a much faster pace, especially over the past 30 years and being able to evolve is key to staying ahead".

Finally, as we embrace technologies like AI, I’m very clear that technology should enhance care, not replace it. Keeping the human in the loop is critical, ensuring innovation supports good judgement and ultimately improves the experience for the people we care for.

What part of your role within HaloCare do you find most rewarding?

For me, that’s an easy one - it’s the difference we make to people’s lives. While my role as COO is very much focused on strategy, operations, and systems, what really matters is the impact those decisions have on individuals and families.

Seeing people supported to live independently in their own homes, knowing our work helps keep them out of residential care for as longas possible, reduces unnecessary hospital admissions, eases stress for families, and improves quality of life, is incredibly rewarding.

“I know this sounds really cliche, but I really I love going to work because of the difference and the impact we know that we are having on patient care, and that's why it feels like the right place to be”

I’m also deeply motivated by seeing our teams deliver that care every day. Knowing that the structures and supports we put in place enable them to do their best work, and ultimately improve outcomes for the people we care for, is what makes the role so meaningful for me.

In your view, what sets HaloCare’s technology apart in the care at home sector?

What really sets HaloCare’s technology apart is that it’s built around care, not just capability. We’re genuinely innovative in the market, but our innovation is always purposeful and it’s about improving outcomes, not introducing technology for its own sake.

“Sometimes when introducing technology into a healthcare setting, the clinicians or those providing the care aren’t involved and the system just doesn’t work for them.

At HaloCare we have innovation sessions and brainstorming sessions where it’s the Care Hub team who will be coming up with new ideas. That innovation is coming from the people actually providing the virtual care”

Our solutions are designed to meet the evolving needs of an ageing population, enabling proactive and preventative care, supporting earlier interventions, and creating alternative pathways that help people remain safely at home for longer, while also reducing pressure on hospitals and emergency departments.

What truly differentiates us is how we integrate technology with clinical expertise and human connection. Tools like AI support decision-making and care coordination, but we’re very clear about keeping the human in the loop, technology enhances clinical judgement; it never replaces it.

It’s this combination of innovation, integration, and person-centred design that makes HaloCare’s approach stand out in the care-at-home sector.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to a leadership role in the health-tech or care sector?

I started my career as a nurse and, over time, evolved my experience to apply it in new ways across the health and care sectors. My advice for anyone aspiring to a leadership role in health-tech or care is: don’t be afraid of change. Embrace it, because if you resist it, it will be forced upon you, and you want to be the one shaping and influencing it. Innovation cannot exist without change, and the most exciting opportunities come from being open and flexible.

“Be a problem-solver, seek out opportunities, grasp them when they come, remembering that they rarely come at the perfect time - and approach challenges with courage, resilience and optimism”

At the same time, never underestimate the value of emotional intelligence. Strive to be a fair, kind, and an empathetic leader, someone who supports and inspires others while navigating the complexities of healthcare innovation.

Invest in people. Be curious about their potential and support their growth. Watching others develop is one of the most powerful motivators there is. With thoughtful coaching and encouragement, people rise to challenge themselves, and the pride that comes from seeing a team grow is something you simply can’t buy.