DigitalRadar: A blueprint for digital maturity?

Berlin, Germany – Germany’s approach to assessing the digital maturity of its hospitals could serve as a blueprint for other countries looking to evaluate and enhance their healthcare systems’ digital capabilities. The German Federal Ministry of Health’s groundbreaking initiative combines international expertise, local requirements, and scientific methods to create a unique model for measuring digital maturity in healthcare.

As part of the German Hospital Future Act, which allocated over 4 billion Euros to enhance digital infrastructure in hospitals, the DigitalRadar consortium was tasked with evaluating the impact of this financial stimulus. The project, which commenced in May 2021, involved developing a country-specific measurement methodology. By December 2021, data from 1,624 hospitals had been collected, marking the DigitalRadar project as the largest and fastest digital maturity assessment ever undertaken.

A successful national healthcare transformation initiative

Germany’s effort is not just about measurement but about meaningful transformation. The project garnered broad multi-stakeholder support, crucial in eliminating political tensions and gaining trust. This inclusive approach involved the German Hospital Society and addressed concerns about relying solely on U.S.-originated models, which may not fully reflect the intricacies of Germany’s universal health system.

Cost-effective and autonomous

The project’s cost-effectiveness is notable, with the total budget amounting to approximately 3,000 € per hospital. This includes expenses for model and platform development, scientific evaluations, and longitudinal studies. The project’s data is also available for research purposes, with the Federal Ministry of Health holding the IP rights to the new development.

International benchmarking and in-country development

Incorporating 65% of the HIMSS EMRAM items, DigitalRadar allows for basic international benchmarking while catering to the specific needs of the German healthcare system. Despite some skepticism about the relevance of international scores, the project paves the way for future international comparisons, if desired.

Key findings and challenges

The DigitalRadar project revealed that German hospitals have an average digitalization score of 33.3 out of 100, with strengths in infrastructure but weaknesses in remote services like telehealth. Interestingly, while public hospitals scored higher overall, private hospitals led in patient engagement and data management.

The study also highlighted some challenges, such as resistance from clinical personnel and interoperability issues. Moreover, it showed that larger hospitals generally perform better in digitalization, indicating that centralized organizations might offer more digital value.

Global implications and future directions

The DigitalRadar approach, blending international best practices with local insights, offers a viable model for other countries to develop their digital maturity assessments. As Germany continues to digitize its renowned universal healthcare system, the lessons learned and methodologies developed through DigitalRadar could guide similar initiatives worldwide, ensuring that healthcare systems evolve to meet contemporary digital challenges.

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