New Joint Strategy for integrated digital healthcare Innovations
Wroclaw, 13th June 2018
As part of the Digital Life project, a New Joint Strategy was prepared, defining the priorities and directions of activities in the field of digital healthcare management. The aim of preparing the strategy was to examine the current state of digitalization in healthcare, currently functioning national and regional strategies in various countries of Central Europe.
Therefore the strategy is divided into four basic chapters:
- Where do we want to take integrated digital healthcare in Central Europe? – The Destination;
- Where are we right now? – The Starting Point;
- How will we get to this new point for integrated digital healthcare? - The Journey;
- How will we know if we are succeeding? - The Checkpoints.
Based on the analysis of the situation in the countries and regions of the project partners, common priorities and directions of activities were developed. The starting situation in the countries and regions of the project partners is very different. However, the challenges faced by actors in their regions in different countries of Central Europe are very similar. The presented strategy managed to effectively address common issues identified in the initial analysis.
As a result the most important thematic focus area of activities within digital Health, and its goals to be achieved is currently broadly defined “data digitization and related elements”: such as patient data security, interoperability and electronic document flow.
This area was set as the most important by the majority of project partners. Thus the data digitalization may be considered as common strategic goal for the partnership. We envisage a more connected innovation landscape which strengthens current, and create new linkages between quadruple helix actors (organisations and institutions) and solutions (technologies, products, services or projects) associated to integrated digital healthcare.
As starting point for the strategy, partners carried out a SWOT analysis in their digitalLIFE4CE working groups. This showed that in all thematic focus areas there are high competences and in many cases the networking level can also be considered high. Part of the working groups also pointed to a high level of innovation and the presence of new companies (start-ups) active in the analysed areas.
At the same time, the low level of awareness, across general public, was indicated (with special reference to some stakeholder groups, e.g. SMEs and regional authorities). The indicated weakness of partner regions in undertaking joint activities may also result from the varying level of development (implementation) in the area of digital healthcare, as well as the diversified state of legislation and solutions and strategic plans.
The scenarios (the journey roadmaps) were presented by the project partners both in the SWOT and the Scene Solution Scenarios developed for the thematic focus areas. It results that, the basic tasks to be carried out are clearly indicated:
- Awareness actions - the achievement of the widest possible range of people interested in the subject of digital healthcare, also among the so-called general public;
- Transfer of good practices on digital healthcare issues,
- Transfer of knowledge and technology from the digital healthcare area.
By creating national hotspots of innovation excellence, coupled with transnational working group Alliances which generate transferability and exchange on integrated digital healthcare focus areas, digitalLIFE4CE will create a framework and operating principles for a more connected innovation landscape.
For each of the planned goals and routes of implementation, checkpoints will be set once again in quantitative terms. The basic principles of creating a system of measurements for the progress of implementing the joint strategy will be based on the premises of engaging core stakeholders that contribute to discussions on the thematic focus areas, and promote exchange on new technologies as well as trends associated with the topic. Additional new applications, or targeted support to other partner’s stakeholders working the area. To finalize the joint strategy, it is crucial to develop Pilot actions, transfer actions and cooperation actions which are designed and implemented to engage stakeholders in a consistent way across the thematic focus areas.
These actions will be taken by digitalLIFE4CE partners to successfully accomplish their mission to build bridges in the European innovation system and close gaps to foster innovation in integrated healthcare system solutions.
by Bartlomiej Ostrowski
