'Digitalization Must Be Considered': Linking Hospital Reform and IT Strategy

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Dr. Viola Henke of DMI notes that German hospitals face severe financial strain due to structural issues like demographic change and medical advancements. A new funding instrument, the KHTF (Krankenhaustransformationsfonds), is available for reform. However, she emphasizes that utilizing this fund requires more than just implementing digital solutions; it must be an integrated effort focusing on 'interoperability' and 'information security.' Specifically, approaches like Clinical Data Repositories (CDR) and Interoperabilitätsplattformen (IOP) are crucial. These make patient data available in a Single Source of Truth and enable access from various applications. Since digitalization is closely linked to physical structural changes and strategic positioning of the hospital, IT departments must develop a data strategy that aligns with the medical strategy. Henke also critiques previous initiatives like KHZG (Krankenhausstrukturgesetz), noting operational shortcomings. New efforts require incorporating 'data sovereignty' alongside building regional networks and improving efficiency. The overall message is that successful transformation depends on integrating digitalization into every aspect of hospital planning.