Not all digital health tools are created equal: The reality of digitalization in healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of digitalization in healthcare, with digital tools being crucial for patient care. However, the successful implementation of digital tools requires a focus on the end-user experience. Stoyan Halkaliev, CEO of NursIT Institute GmbH, emphasizes the need to design digital health tools with nurses in mind, as many existing tools have not considered their needs, leading to increased workload and inefficiencies. The healthcare sector lags behind other industries in digitalization, partly due to a lack of key performance indicators (KPIs) and a different operational model. Governments are now recognizing the benefits of digitalization and are taking action to incentivize hospitals, such as Germany's Hospital Future Act. Partnerships are becoming crucial in the evolving healthcare digital ecosystem, moving from a single product market to a systems market. Digital health tools have the potential to alleviate nurses' burdens by "smartifying" physical processes and streamlining documentation. Interoperability and data exchange are key factors in creating a successful digital healthcare system, requiring regulatory support and investment. NursIT participated in Startup Creasphere, a digital health accelerator aiming to transform healthcare through collaborations with startups.