Health

Patients are at the heart of the health care ecosystem and have an increasingly important role to play when it comes to digitalization. This awareness is leading, for example, to the development of self-diagnosis opportunities or remote health care devices that patients can use to examine and treat themselves. Some health insurers are already issuing self-diagnostic devices with the aim of supporting patients through the use of telemedicine.

In the future, processes should become even more patient-centric, and the patient journey will be redefined. Patients’ influence on existing services is on the rise as more and more of them submit online ratings of clinics or switch to other health insurers. Various portals offer substantial and essential relief for the health care system. These changes are culminating at the same time in the development of completely new business models.

Health care providers (hospitals, local physicians, medical care centers, etc.) are enormously important to our general economy — as the pandemic has made abundantly clear. Pursuant to the Future of Hospitals Act (KHZG), the federal government, in collaboration with the German states and funding agencies, is providing a total of €4.3 billion for digitalization measures.

The work with our clients, however, clearly reveals that the needs of hospitals are often much more fundamental. Even adequate network coverage with Wi-Fi and other issues confront hospitals with major challenges, especially when applying for major projects.

The hospital landscape is expected to change dramatically over the next four years. The guiding principle at all times must be for a meaningful and (above all) sustainable realization of digitalization that will benefit patients and employees alike. We support you during the conduct of your specific digitalization projects and accompany you during the entire journey as you independently drive your digitalization forward in the future.

Health insurers are faced with the challenge of evolving from a health care reimbursement provider to a service provider with an expanded portfolio — “from payer to player.”

What benefits from digital services that will maintain health insurers’ competitiveness can they offer to their policyholders? How can information and data be used for preventive health care? What do the appropriate business models look like?

Legislative proposals such as the “app by prescription” will be important forms of treatment in the future. Some health insurers use their apps as contact channels and provide products and services. They should be adapted to the needs of policyholders as well as to the overall market identity of the insurer. Clear rules must apply to the collection, use, and further processing of data so that patients do not lose trust in insurers.

The pharmaceutical industry designs the production and distribution of its products to be efficient and transparent, but must at the same time maintain high quality standards.

The distance to patients makes sustainable and effective further development of the products more difficult. Moreover, patient data for studies and determination of the success of the initiated measures are difficult to access and subject to high privacy restrictions. How can digitalization help to build new sales models, customer relationships, and beneficial business models? One example is drug development based on genomes, which can be significantly more efficient than conventional methods.

Trend radars also aid in the identification of relevant technologies at an early stage so that they can be integrated successfully into existing processes. The relevance of data and their collection from other service providers can generate comprehensive added value for the industry.

Medical technology companies will undergo the most extensive digital transformation in the future. Whereas in the past they were strictly product or equipment manufacturers, people today expect more comprehensive services. Customers demand updates on secured networks and additional digital services from manufacturers. Medical technology companies face the challenge of supplementing meaningfully the relevant processes with digital developments such as IoT.

However, digitalization can also provide medtechs with decisive advantages apart from customer requests. Using a digital product image in real time enables the fast identification and correction of manufacturing defects. Verifications in compliance with strict manufacturing guidelines can be provided much more easily and can alleviate the current differentiation pressures facing the medtech industry. Innovative processes also help to deal more competently with external regulations and cost pressures.

IT providers are feeling the change in health care especially strongly. There is growing pressure from customers to digitalize faster and more comprehensively. For the first time, the demand is for increasingly specific products and solutions.

If they want to avoid responding reactively to their customers’ needs, providers need a comprehensive strategy and must invest in the subjects of tomorrow, yet not lose sight of market dynamics.

Arrivals and admissions:

Lengthy and paper-based admission processes can be simplified and expedited through automated data transfer from the initial care provider and through online or app-based registration.

Diagnosis and treatment:

During treatment, data can be automated and digitally recorded, simplifying management and transfer of medical history while facilitating completeness of history and decreasing the risk of treatment errors.

Assisted surgeries:

Visualization of organs and vessels and a virtual overlay of patient data can improve surgeries with the aid of augmented and virtual reality. Physicians receive an expanded set of tools, students benefit from new learning opportunities.

Bed policy:

Acquisition of beds and equipment represents a significant cost factor and are rarely available. Digital tracking of beds or expensive equipment can improve the situation. The efficiency of work processes is improved and purchasing is optimized.

Active ingredients and patents:

The effects of medicines can vary from one person to the next. Development of active ingredients based on gene therapies paves the way to personalized treatment, greater treatment success, fewer side effects, and more satisfied customers.

Premiums:

Analyses of insured persons and the use of data exchange channels such as apps open the door to the development of new premium systems. Thanks to real-time analytics, you can offer exactly the right product to the customer.

Remote care:

Self-diagnosis is the trend. The growing number of smart devices mean that comprehensive examinations at home become possible. In some cases, diseases can be detected before their outbreak or before they become acute.

Connectivity:

New systems like computer processing require interconnected devices that are both compatible with hospital systems and are equipped with the necessary interfaces. When outfitted with the appropriate safety requirements, they are the products of the future.

In the public health service (ÖGD), as in other authorities, digitisation can be expanded and there is therefore a great need for extensive digitisation measures. The Corona pandemic has clearly shown that there is a need for optimisation in public health offices, especially in the area of digital workflow and interoperability, both within the administration and in communication between public health offices.

The federal government has recognised this and decided on funding measures of 4 billion euros for the area of public health services, of which approx. 440 million euros are available for digitisation.

In the course of our previous cooperation with various health offices, similar challenges have arisen for all parties involved. In addition to structural issues, it became apparent that the digital workflow (e.g. the data stream without media discontinuity) deserves special attention. The mission statement "Digital Health Office 2025" sets the path for more interoperability, across all levels and external organisations (e.g. RKI). We support you with extensive skills in public health department topics and are happy to assist you with the implementation of approved funding applications.

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