Dr. Thomas Kostera

Torsten Dettlaff / pexels – Pexels License, https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/; Illustrationen: Ines Meyer

Tech Giants

Learning health systems: Can tech giants link everyday care with research?

Thanks to their vast resources, the tech giants have the capacity to collect and analyze massive amounts of data. This poses major ethical challenges to independent research as well as to the principles of justice and solidarity. But if we effectively address these challenges, big tech’s activities bear enormous potential in driving forward the development of an innovative learning health system. A team led by ethicist Prof. Christiane Woopen conducted a close analysis of the various perspectives involved and potential approaches to be pursued for the Foundation.

08.08.2022

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Torsten Dettlaff / pexels – Pexels License, https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/; Illustrationen: Ines Meyer

Tech Giants

How the tech giants are changing the healthcare profession

Whether it is creating software solutions for use in analyzing MRI images, systems designed to optimize bed utilization rates or applications to help with monitoring patients’ vital signs or making treatment decisions, the tech giants are a powerful driver of digitalization processes in healthcare. The innovative solutions delivered by Siemens, IBM and others have great potential to improve patient care. However, these innovations also bring about a number of changes to healthcare as a profession, presenting it with several challenges. Ethicist Prof. Christiane Woopen and a team of researchers have explored these issues in detail, presenting them in a study conducted on our behalf.

29.07.2022

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Torsten Dettlaff / pexels – Pexels License, https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/; Illustrationen: Ines Meyer

Tech Giants

“I’ve always been concerned about the considerable power that the tech giants have” – an interview with Christiane Woopen

What areas of healthcare are seeing increasing activity on the part of the global tech companies? How can their products and services help improve medicine? And what are the challenges arising from the activities of these tech giants? Together with her team of researchers, ethics professor Christiane Woopen conducted on behalf of the Stiftung a comprehensive study of tech giants in the healthcare sector. In the following interview, Christiane Woopen discusses the impact of digital transformation on the field. Identifying the various opportunities and risks at hand, the ethicist calls for the government to issue a clear policy position and for a broad social debate on what role the tech giants should play in the healthcare system.

11.07.2022

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Europe

Integrated e-health strategy: added value for Europe’s citizens

From electronic health records to telemedicine, the digitization of healthcare in the countries of the European Union is progressing at different speeds and resembles a patchwork quilt. It is certainly true that there are a large number of promising European initiatives in the e-health sector. But a clear, pan-European vision is still lacking. In an impulse paper, we argue for an integrated e-health strategy. This blog post shows why and how such a strategy should be geared toward the needs of citizens.

26.01.2021

Dr. Thomas Kostera

#SmartHealthSystems

Cooperation and consensus building as key components of the Swedish e-health Vision 2025 – An interview with Erik Frisk on Digital Health in Sweden

In our #SmartHealthSystems study, we analyzed 17 countries on the state of digitization in healthcare. As our country report shows, Sweden is among those countries that decided very early on to adopt a strong comprehensive digitization strategy. Its systematic implementation has resulted in Sweden having one of the most advanced digital health systems. With its e-Health Vision 2025 Sweden aims at becoming the “best in the world at using the opportunities offered by digitization and eHealth”. In an interview, Erik Frisk, International Coordinator of the Swedish eHealth Agency (E-hälsomyndigheten), explains the importance of coordinating digital health efforts as well as of developing new digital health services. He underlines that cooperation and consensus building are key components for the implementation of Sweden’s e-Health Vision 2025.

12.11.2019

Dr. Thomas Kostera

#SmartHealthSystems

Tried and tested: How other healthcare systems are shaping digital change – our Skype interviews at a glance

How can digitalisation succeed in the healthcare sector? What are key success factors and which hurdles need to be overcome? As part of our #SmartHealthSystems study, we spoke to several international experts about their experiences in a series of Skype interviews. The experts report on their practical experience and provide a variety of insights into aspects that are currently being discussed in Germany. Here is an overview of the conducted interviews.

08.10.2019

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Algorithms

“We need to discuss what we expect from a digital healthcare system” – an interview with Christiane Woopen

In which areas of healthcare are algorithms applied - both today and in the future? How can they improve medical care? And what are new challenges that arise from their implementation? On behalf of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the research center ceres at the University of Cologne has carried out a review and analysis of algorithms in digital healthcare. In an interview, Prof. Christiane Woopen, head of the research group, explains where she sees the greatest disruptive potential in the use of algorithms in healthcare.With a view to the various opportunities and risks, the ethicist demands that we, as a society, have to discuss what price we want to pay for digital progress, how we create trust and how we maintain solidarity in the healthcare system. In short, how do we want to shape digitalization in the healthcare system?

13.09.2019

Dr. Thomas Kostera

#SmartHealthSystems

Consistent promotion of user acceptance as a key to success – A Skype interview with Jennifer Zelmer on Digital Health in Canada

In our #SmartHealthSystems study, we analyzed 17 countries on the state of digitalization in healthcare. In our specifically developed Digital Health Index, Canada earned an excellent second place. In our Skype interview, Dr. Jennifer Zelmer, President and CEO of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement, explains that new e-health services will be successful if they address the needs of citizens and healthcare professionals and are perceived as valuable clinical support. In Canada, the acceptance of new technologies has been systematically promoted through targeted user involvement and various campaigns. For Zelmer, the resulting engagement of citizens and physicians constitutes a key factor for the successful digitization process in Canada.

29.04.2019

Dr. Thomas Kostera

#SmartHealthSystems

The digital transformation in healthcare requires clear decision-making structures and the trust of citizens – A Skype interview with Madis Tiik on Digital Health in Estonia

In our #SmartHealthSystems study, we analyzed 17 countries on the state of digitization in health care. Estonia ranks first in our specifically developed Digital Health Index . As our country report shows, e-prescription and electronic patient files have been legally required in Estonia for a decade. Citizens can view their personal health data, find out about illnesses or book medical appointments online via the national health information portal. Since 2012, video consultations and telediagnostics are also permitted and integrated into outpatient care. In a Skype interview, Dr. Madis Tiik, family doctor and digital health expert, explains how Estonia has successfully accomplished digitization. The former CEO of the Estonian eHealth Foundation emphasizes the importance of clear competencies and a dedicated organization for the implementation of digital health processes. The trust of citizens thanks to transparency and a secure national infrastructure are further success factors, he points out.

20.03.2019

Dr. Thomas Kostera

View of Tel Aviv beach in summer time with Israel Flag, Tel Aviv coastline with Israel Flag, Israel. Bestellt am 06.07.2018 in einer Standard-Lizenz plus Mehrpaltzlizenz für ST-VV ID-262 Smart Health Systems – Länderberichte 103-67422-121

#SmartHealthSystems

Trust in digital health is built by providing stable, secure, and user-friendly digital services – An Interview with Nachman Ash and Rachelle Kaye

Israel has considerable innovative power when it comes to implementing digital solutions for healthcare delivery. Israeli Health Maintenance Organizations such as Maccabi are at the forefront of implementing digital health. Prof. Nachman Ash and Dr. Rachelle Kaye tell us in an interview what digital services are available in the Maccabi system for patients and health professionals. They emphasize digital access to health information must be user-friendly and trustworthy. Patients must be able to see for themselves that a trusted professional enters their medical information into electronic health records. For the future, they predict more patient empowerment by using patient reported data and the integration of digital health services with easy to access messaging services.

08.11.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera

View of Tel Aviv beach in summer time with Israel Flag, Tel Aviv coastline with Israel Flag, Israel. Bestellt am 06.07.2018 in einer Standard-Lizenz plus Mehrpaltzlizenz für ST-VV ID-262 Smart Health Systems – Länderberichte 103-67422-121

#SmartHealthSystems

Telemedicine in Israel: A small country with great innovative power

Our second report from Israel, part of our #SmartHealthSystems study, shows how a small country succeeds in effectively bringing innovation to regular care practices. Example: Telemedicine

20.09.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Dr. Cinthia Briseño

View of Tel Aviv beach in summer time with Israel Flag, Tel Aviv coastline with Israel Flag, Israel. Bestellt am 06.07.2018 in einer Standard-Lizenz plus Mehrpaltzlizenz für ST-VV ID-262 Smart Health Systems – Länderberichte 103-67422-121

#SmartHealthSystems

For better care: Israel bets on big data

As part of our #SmartHealthSystems study our look at Israel shows how a small nation has focused on big data in the healthcare sector for the last two decades – and with a giant database of patient information, also wants to become a paradise for international research.

13.09.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Dr. Cinthia Briseño

Matterhorn mit Schweizer Flagge. Bestellt am 06.07.2018 in einer KONZERN-Lizenz für ST-VV ID-262 Smart Health Systems – Länderberichte 103-67422-121

#SmartHealthSystems

“Digitization is not a fairy that can grant wishes” – a Skype-Interview with Yvonne Gilli on the Swiss Electronic Dossier

#SmartHealthSystems: Switzerland is on its way to implement the Electronic Dossier (EPD) for the hospital sector. For patients and doctors the use of the EPD is voluntary. Dr. med. Yvonne Gilli, head of the digitization and E-Health Department at the Swiss Medical Association FMH (Foederatio Medicorum Helveticorum), tells us in a Skype-interview what the EPD can offer for patients and doctors.

06.09.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Matterhorn mit Schweizer Flagge. Bestellt am 06.07.2018 in einer KONZERN-Lizenz für ST-VV ID-262 Smart Health Systems – Länderberichte 103-67422-121

#SmartHealthSystems

Electronic patient records in Switzerland: A hurdle race on a tight schedule

#SmartHealthSystems: What have we learned from Switzerland? Despite the country’s federally fragmented health system, implementing a decentralized national electronic patient record system is feasible – as long as the hurdles are cleared along the way.

22.08.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Dr. Cinthia Briseño

#SmartHealthSystems

Patients as partners – a Skype-Interview with Lies van Gennip on digital health in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, patients can opt-in to a system of electronic data exchange in the healthcare system – and hence profit from an e-health infrastructure that is considerably well developed. Dr. Lies van Gennip, Director of NICTIZ, tells us in a Skype-interview how the Dutch system is designed and what experiences the country has made so far.

08.08.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera

#SmartHealthSystems

E-Health in the Netherlands: Lessons learned

#SmartHealthSystems: Our third contribution from the Netherlands shows what consequences misjudging the situation can have and the disadvantages of purely technology-driven advances – and why Germany still has much to learn from its neighbor to the West when it comes to e-health.

30.07.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Dr. Cinthia Briseño

Eine Person hält ein Tablet vor der Sehenswürdigkeit der Meerjungfrau in Kopenhagen hoch. Auf dem Display ist eine Anwendung zu sehen. Bestellt am 16.04.2018 für ST-VV Header #SmartHealthSystem Dänemark, Montage, Grafik-ID 158

#SmartHealthSystems

The reasons behind sundhed.dk’s success – a Skype-Interview with Jakob Uffelmann

#SmartHealthSystems: sundhed.dk is a national portal that aims to be the first point of contact for all Danish citizens seeking information about their health. Jakob Uffelmann, Director of Innovation at sundhed.dk, tells us how the Danish portal became a success story, how data protection is guaranteed, and what future services for citizens and patients are being developed.

09.07.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Eine Person hält ein Tablet vor der Sehenswürdigkeit der Meerjungfrau in Kopenhagen hoch. Auf dem Display ist eine Anwendung zu sehen. Bestellt am 16.04.2018 für ST-VV Header #SmartHealthSystem Dänemark, Montage, Grafik-ID 158

#SmartHealthSystems

Less is more: Denmark focuses on superclinics

#SmartHealthSystems: Our second blog contribution featuring Denmark explores how telemedicine was conceptually integrated into the inpatient care sector.

26.06.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Dr. Cinthia Briseño

#SmartHealthSystems

Learning from other countries: How is digitization in healthcare progressing across the globe? – Comparative international study launched

A frequently heard assessment of Germany’s healthcare system is that it continues to lag notably behind other countries in terms of digitization. But in which areas, exactly, does it lag behind the most? What strategies are other countries pursuing? What can we learn from the experiences of those countries? In the coming months, our goal is to undertake a comparative international study that provides insights into exactly what characterizes a successful national digitization strategy. We are therefore targeting an analysis of the framework conditions, major advancements and success factors in 17 different healthcare systems. Our basic thesis going in to this analysis is that fully leveraging digitization’s potential in the realm of healthcare involves developing a tenable national strategy with long-term objectives that features a clear vision and is advocated by political leadership – regardless of a country’s size or political system.

14.03.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera, Timo Thranberend

Telemedicine

From Parkinson’s disease therapy to stroke treatment – telemedicine’s long journey to acceptance in standard health care

The German Telemedicine Portal lists a total of 169 telemedicine projects in the country. The range of items covered point to the areas where telemedicine is helping improve health care delivery and close gaps in the healthcare sector. However, many projects fail to develop beyond the pilot phase to become part of standard care. Indeed, Germany currently features a patchwork quilt of telemedicine. Last year, we took a closer look at four pioneering projects, examining the key factors driving their success. In the coming weeks, individual representatives of these pioneering projects will be invited to offer their thoughts here in this blog.

01.02.2018

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Interview

Digital applications in Psychotherapy: Finding an efficient Blend between the Technology and the Human – An Interview with Dr. Adrian Aguilera

To better involve patients in their therapy, researchers at the Berkeley School of Social Welfare of the University of California have developed an algorithm-based text messaging service. The service is designed to help improving the treatment of depression in members of ethnic minorities and social strata with a lower income. This way, patients are supported with their homework, regular attendance of therapy sessions and medication intake. We have asked Adrian Aguilera, head of the program, about his experiences with using digital support for psychotherapy.

26.07.2017

Dr. Thomas Kostera

New Study: Weak health literacy creates a digital divide – An interview with Prof. Michael Mackert

One of the questions explored by „The Digital Patient” is how to promote health literacy in the digital age. To deepen our understanding of the various issues associated with this question, we interviewed Professor Michael Mackert from the University of Texas. Together with his colleagues, Mackert recently carried out a study exploring the impact of low health literacy among citizens on how they use digital health information. The findings show that patients with low health literacy are generally less healthy and have more difficulty with digital solutions, particularly when it comes to protecting their privacy and preparing information. This risk of a new digital divide is considerable. The study’s findings were published in 2016 in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. In the following interview, the study’s author, Prof. Mackert, discusses the lessons we can draw from these findings.

13.12.2016

Dr. Thomas Kostera

Our topics

Recent articles

Learning health systems: Can tech giants link everyday care with research?

How the tech giants are changing the healthcare profession

“I’ve always been concerned about the considerable power that the tech giants have” – an interview with Christiane Woopen

Integrated e-health strategy: added value for Europe’s citizens

Cooperation and consensus building as key components of the Swedish e-health Vision 2025 – An interview with Erik Frisk on Digital Health in Sweden

Tried and tested: How other healthcare systems are shaping digital change – our Skype interviews at a glance

“We need to discuss what we expect from a digital healthcare system” – an interview with Christiane Woopen

Consistent promotion of user acceptance as a key to success – A Skype interview with Jennifer Zelmer on Digital Health in Canada

The digital transformation in healthcare requires clear decision-making structures and the trust of citizens – A Skype interview with Madis Tiik on Digital Health in Estonia

Trust in digital health is built by providing stable, secure, and user-friendly digital services – An Interview with Nachman Ash and Rachelle Kaye

Telemedicine in Israel: A small country with great innovative power

For better care: Israel bets on big data

“Digitization is not a fairy that can grant wishes” – a Skype-Interview with Yvonne Gilli on the Swiss Electronic Dossier

Electronic patient records in Switzerland: A hurdle race on a tight schedule

Patients as partners – a Skype-Interview with Lies van Gennip on digital health in the Netherlands

E-Health in the Netherlands: Lessons learned

The reasons behind sundhed.dk’s success – a Skype-Interview with Jakob Uffelmann

Less is more: Denmark focuses on superclinics

Learning from other countries: How is digitization in healthcare progressing across the globe? – Comparative international study launched

From Parkinson’s disease therapy to stroke treatment – telemedicine’s long journey to acceptance in standard health care

Digital applications in Psychotherapy: Finding an efficient Blend between the Technology and the Human – An Interview with Dr. Adrian Aguilera

New Study: Weak health literacy creates a digital divide – An interview with Prof. Michael Mackert

Our authors

Stay updated on the recent articles