“Make Data Usable for Everyday Clinical Practice”

Prof. Dr. Toralf Kirsten shares his impressions of the innovative power and effective data utilization in Israel’s healthcare system.

How does Israel balance data protection with cybersecurity, and what lessons can Germany learn to build a data-driven healthcare system? Physicians, in particular, are becoming central to this transformation, as data is not only the key to evidence-based and innovative medicine for researchers but also for clinicians.

You recently visited Israel. What impressed you most about their healthcare system?

Israel demonstrates remarkable agility in implementing innovations. What stood out was how ideas from universities and hospitals are systematically transformed into startups. This entrepreneurial culture is supported by targeted funding models that enable innovative solutions to be quickly put into practice. Importantly, the hospitals involved are not only interested in applying these solutions but also in their commercialization – a concept that remains underdeveloped in Germany.

How does data usage in Israel differ from that in Germany?

A significant difference is the lifelong access of health insurers to patient data. This enables precise analyses over the entire lifecycle of a patient in Israel, facilitating proactive, preventive healthcare. Data protection is ensured through a combination of strict cybersecurity measures and clear rules for data sharing. In contrast, fragmented data structures and stricter regulations in Germany hinder similar developments.

What role does data play in everyday clinical practice, and how could its use evolve?

Many physicians aspire to be innovative beyond their daily clinical tasks, such as engaging in research. At the same time, economic analyses are crucial for effectively utilizing resources. It is increasingly evident how important immediate access to relevant data sources is for all user groups.

What are the biggest challenges in this process?

The main challenge is making data usable for everyday clinical tasks, especially for physicians who wish to explore research questions beyond their daily routines. Another critical point is access to data for administrative and medical leadership personnel. The administrative sector, in particular, requires data to analyze hospital performance and optimize corporate management. Medical leadership, on the other hand, needs up-to-date overviews of patient care, bed occupancy, and other operational aspects.

How is this managed at the University Hospital Leipzig?

Research topics are handled through the Data Integration Center, which coordinates and provides access to requested datasets. For administrative purposes, such as economic analysis, an internal business warehouse is used. Much of this work is still centralized. To make data truly accessible in everyday clinical practice, access for all relevant user groups must be simplified and made more efficient – without compromising necessary security requirements.

What is your vision for the future of data infrastructure in Germany?

The Medical Informatics Initiative has laid a solid foundation with its Data Integration Centers, which enable standardized interfaces for the use of clinical and research data. The next step must be further harmonizing the infrastructure and integrating innovative approaches, such as hybrid care models and synthetic data. Only then can we catch up internationally and decisively advance the digitization of healthcare.

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Prof. Dr. Toralf Kirsten heads the Medical Data Science department at the Medical Informatics Center of Leipzig University, Germany.