The EU-funded DigiH4A (Digital Health for All) project, launched in October 2024 with its kick-off meeting in Malmö, brings together a diverse partnership of academic institutions, health authorities, and innovation actors to drive the adoption of digital health solutions across the North Sea region. Running for three years, DigiH4A’s mission is to enhance healthcare delivery and tackle key challenges facing health systems in the region.
Meeting the region’s healthcare needs with digital solutions
As healthcare costs continue to rise, digital health innovations have the potential to make a significant impact. In Germany alone, projections suggest that digital health could generate annual savings of up to €35 billion. With the North Sea region facing increased pressure from an ageing population and a rise in chronic diseases, the need for innovative, cost-saving healthcare solutions has never been more critical.
Funded by the European Union through the Interreg North Sea programme, DigiH4A focuses on two main obstacles to integrating digital health solutions:
establishing effective reimbursement pathways
building trust among healthcare providers and patients.
Clearing the path to digital health integration
DigiH4A will collaborate with over 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative reimbursement models and cost-benefit analysis methods.
The project will also create a strategic action plan to guide healthcare decision-makers, providers, and payers in seamlessly integrating digital health solutions into existing healthcare systems. This plan aims to enhance care delivery and improve patient outcomes by 2027.
Uniting expertise for a healthier future
DigiH4A's partnership includes leading institutions such as Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Karlstad University, and HAWK University of Applied Sciences, contributing valuable research and innovation expertise. Health authorities like Central Denmark Region and the Hamburg Ministry of Social Affairs will offer crucial insights into healthcare policy, while innovation actors, including lead partner Innovation Skåne, Sahlgrenska Science Park, Biotech Santé Bretagne, National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), and Eurasanté, will facilitate the practical application of research outcomes.
The project has received strong backing from prominent entities, including EIT Health, ARS Bretagne, the Danish Life Science Cluster, Euratechnologies, the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, and Leiden Municipality. These endorsements underscore DigiH4A's potential to drive meaningful change in healthcare across the North Sea region.
By tackling systemic healthcare challenges on an international scale, DigiH4A is set to accelerate the digital transformation of health systems, benefiting citizens through improved access to cutting-edge digital health solutions.
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