“Digital transformation is not an Informatics Project -it is a deep reform of the system,” he said Anna Diamantopoulou, President of the Network, speaking to the panel on the subject “Digital Health Revolution: Innovation, Challenges and Opportunities”Explaining that digital transformation “is not limited to technology, but it is a change in the approach of prevention and personalization, to be able to approach each patient in a different way, do research and develop new medicines thanks to the integration of IT. In addition, it is about improving health services and evaluating them through data and research. Informatics is a basic, but not the only one, element. “
Need for strategic planning and specific steps
Ms. Diamantopoulou emphasized the need for strategic planning, beyond a simple list of projects. “The Ministry of Health has announced 29 digital transformation projects, most importantly being the interconnection of all health services, from hospitals to patient service. Of these, 19 are in progress, but the main work of the interconnection is still ongoing. It’s been five years and there is about a year and a half to complete it. It is important to understand that digital transformation requires strategic planning and not just individual actions, ”he said.
According to her, the transition to the digital age requires the Ministry of Health specific steps, such as:
New specialties, (data analysts, medical technology engineers, telemedicine consultants, cyber security specialists). “Today, the Ministry of Health has an e -government service with just ten people, none of whom are specialized in digital health”
Re -education of staff
Popular Digital Training: “How will the average citizen come in contact with digital health and new tools if we do not invest in his training? Experience from other countries shows that folk digital training is essential. It is not enough just practical application or use of new tools. “
Mrs Diamantopoulou talked about a holistic approach, including education, training and strategic planning.
In addition, he underlined the need for a new institutional framework for cyber security, data management, creation and use of algorithms. “The health file is important but, without this context, digital transformation cannot proceed effectively.”
We are not ready for artificial intelligence
“We are not ready for the expansion of artificial intelligence, we must not beautify things. But we can move forward, as many countries do, even smaller, who use their potential, “Mrs Diamantopoulou replied to a question by George Eugenides. He argued, like Mrs Tsouma, that digital transformation requires horizontal support, but “no ministry can proceed with the reform without its own structure, based on its particular characteristics and needs”. From the projects that have been completed and can be seen on a large scale, Mrs Diamantopoulou distinguishes the electronic prescription, which began in 2010, and prevention policies.
Mrs Diamantopoulou then explained why we need to understand the importance of digital transformation for citizens, the economy and the organization of hospitals. ‘After 12 years of dealing with digital reforms, I can say that [ως ΔΙΚΤΥΟ] We have significant results, ”he said and cited a pilot prevention program in southern England, where a large hospital in a circumference of about 600,000 people has given all residents and potentially patients a small stick.
“Once a month, they use it for urine examination, take a photo of the data in the stick and send it to the hospital. There, using artificial intelligence, the data is analyzed and alerts the citizens who are in trouble. Thus, they found those who had health problems in time, reduced deaths, renal failure rates, reduced microbiological laboratories, and the hospital budget improved and resources were saved. ” This, he stressed, means that there is a national strategy, the interconnection of the central ministry with the hospitals, the hospital has a digital system that is interconnected with citizens, and artificial intelligence in processing data.
Six years in the digital sector is a century
Regarding whether health workers are likely to be difficult to adapt, Mrs Diamantopoulou commented that they are facing much more complex challenges, such as lack of staff in hospitals, not only in doctors but also in other specialties. “If there is no substantial health reform, with a change in the health map, enhancing primary care and interconnection of all of them, then we will simply have a list of projects with no real effect.”
“In Europe, and not only, there are smaller countries, such as Uruguay, with fewer financial opportunities, which have done miracles,” Ms Diamantopoulou said, passing on the criticism of the government for her delay. “The space is very long. Six years in the digital sector has been a century. “
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