Accelerating Innovation and Technological Transformation on a National Scale.

Has traditional medicine had its day? The need to redefine academic medicine

Strategic priorities of social production digitalization: world experience

Planetary health interconnects human well-being with nature, securing a sustainable future and contributing to economic stability and growth. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities of our health systems and the interdependence of global health and economic resilience. Key initiatives - such as the Pandemic Agreement, global efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance, or the European Health Data Space - offer a unique opportunity to reshape our economic models with planetary health and well-being at their core. These initiatives can catalyse a broader economic transformation - one that values health as an investment rather than a cost, embraces digital and green innovation, and places planetary well-being at the centre of policy and progress.Ms Gallina, Director General for Health and Food Safety, DG SANTE, introduces the topic of the session sets the scene for further discussion. She will highlight key EU achievements from recent years, including the EU’s pivotal role in amending the International Health Regulations, negotiating the Pandemic Agreement, and advancing the development of the European Health Union.Improving the competitiveness of health systems and industry remains a top priority. How can the EU continue to provide an attractive, innovation-friendly environment for research, development, and production of medicines in Europe, in line with the findings of the Draghi Report, while also meeting patients’ needs and environment protection?In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent epidemics, global discussions on health system resilience have taken centre stage, with concepts like One Health gaining significant momentum. Which elements from the Pandemic Agreement would be key to support planetary health and well-being, in an evolving global context?The health of populations directly impacts economic performance. Health is both a pre-condition for and a consequence of economic prosperity. How could long-term economic development be encouraged in synergy with efficient and resilient health systems more people centred? What indicators do you believe are most effective in measuring well-being across the EU, and how can they guide policy-making?Digital technology is increasingly changing the way we design and deliver preventive health and care services. COVID-19 pushed further the transformation, speeding up digitalisation in the health sector but also highlighting existing issues. The EU has devoted much energy in the past years to have a common path towards digitalisation, with the entry into force this year of the European Health Data Space, as a cornerstone of the European Health Union. What opportunities can the digitalisation of health services provide in Europe and how could these benefit citizens across the world? What would be potential trade-offs or challenges associated with digitalisation, and how can they be managed?ModeratorMartin McKeeLSHTM, UKKeynote speakerSandra GallinaDirector General for Health and Food Safety, ECSpeakers/PanellistsBjörn KümmelSenior global health advisor, Federal Health Ministry, GermanyFrancesca ColomboHead of the Health Division, OECDFidelia CasciniDigital health expert, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds potential to enhance health systems worldwide. However, its implementation in health systems in Southeast Asia (SEA)-a region of diverse geopolitical and socioeconomic development-has been understudied. This study aims to gain insights into the current state and future prospects of AI technology from participants most directly involved in its adoption across health systems in SEA whose perspectives have received limited attention in research to date. We used a cross-sectional qualitative research design. Data were collected through 31 semistructured interviews with participants working in or significantly involved with the implementation of AI-enabled technologies within health systems across 7 SEA countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The participants represented the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. They included innovators, health care professionals using AI, professionals from nongovernmental and multilateral organizations, corporate professionals, academics, policy makers, regulators, and investors. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The collected data were then analyzed using thematic analysis methodology to identify key themes. Of the 31 participants, 8 (26%) were from lower-middle-income countries, 16 (52%) from upper-middle-income countries, and 7 (22%) from high-income countries. Through thematic analysis, five major categories emerged: (1) AI technology acceptance, (2) disparities in digital transformation, (3) technology governance, (4) data governance, and (5) AI for health system transformation. Participants discussed the promise of AI technology for adoption and integration in the health sector. In lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income countries, disparities in digital transformation-such as infrastructure barriers, market access concerns, and limited investment-were viewed as critical impediments. Across all country income levels, technology and data governance were considered essential for the ethical integration of AI into health care systems. AI is perceived to have the potential to transform health systems, including population health management, service accessibility, operations management, health systems financing and health care payment, and personalized medicine. Our study provides novel perspectives and valuable insights into the current state and future prospects of AI adoption across health systems in SEA. By capturing the experiences and opinions of a broad range of professionals involved in health care and AI, this research provides a nuanced understanding of the opportunities and hurdles associated with health AI in the region. For the full potential of AI-enabled technologies to be successfully implemented and ultimately contribute to the transformation of health systems in the region, foundational investments are needed in digital infrastructure, technology governance, and data governance. These fundamental pillars are crucial for fostering an environment in which AI can be effectively and ethically leveraged to improve health outcomes and strengthen health care systems throughout SEA.

AI telemedicine screening in ophthalmology: health economic considerations

There is no cure without care.

This paper aims to investigate the potential impact of Chinese digital twin technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing healthcare and medical systems in Belt and Road regions, with a specific focus on smart cities in the Middle East. In recent years, digital twin technology has garnered significant attention due to its ability to simulate and replicate complex systems and processes in a virtual environment. This paper focuses on the implementation of Chinese digital twin technology, which integrates AI advancements to enhance healthcare and medical systems in Belt and Road regions. By utilizing a combination of literature review, data analysis using CiteSpace software, and a case study approach, the potential collaboration and benefits of Chinese digital twin technology and AI in smart health-tech cities are explored. Through an extensive review of relevant literature, data analysis utilizing CiteSpace software, and a case study approach, this study offers valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, healthcare systems, and stakeholders interested in utilizing advanced technologies to improve health outcomes and healthcare services in the regions covered by the Belt and Road Initiative, providing a comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of Chinese digital twin and AI in facilitating healthcare and medical systems in Belt and Road regions.

The Lancet Commission on cancer and health systems: harnessing synergies to achieve solutions

The article is devoted to the problem of distinguishing the concepts of digital transformation, digitalization, digital technologies and soft skills of digital technologies, the structure and content of each of them is created. The concept of digital transformation is considered as the introduction of innovative technologies (artificial intelligence, cloud solutions, data analytics, the Internet of Things, etc.) into the life of society, which automatically changes the corporate culture and processes of using the power of these technologies. It’s not just a software or hardware update. it is a change in the way of thinking and new rules of doing business in a world where innovative technologies instantly determine the general rules of the game. Therefore, the concepts of digitization and digital technologies will be derived here. Having important conclusions about digital transformation, digitization and digital technologies, we came to the conclusion that digital components effectively contribute to the development of digital competences in the whole variety of digital soft skills. Digital technology is a big world where information is converted into bits, qubits, and trips and used for data processing, transmission, and storage. The structure of the concept of soft skills of digital technologies is clearly shown. It covers 12 concepts and 34 connections between them. They cover communication and collective platforms, time management, problem solving, critical thinking, adaptation, writing computer programs, programming languages, and others.

BackgroundAlmost all health systems have developed some form of customer-facing digital technologies and have worked to align these systems to their existing electronic health records to accommodate the surge in remote and virtual care deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Others have developed analytics-driven decision-making capabilities. However, it is not clear how health systems in the United States are embracing digital technologies and there is a gap in health systems’ abilities to integrate workflows with expanding technologies to spur innovation and futuristic growth. There is a lack of reliable and reported estimates of the current and futuristic digital orientations of health systems. Periodic assessments will provide imperatives to policy formulation and align efforts to yield the transformative power of emerging digital technologies.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore and examine differences in US health systems with respect to digital orientations in the post–COVID-19 “new normal” in 2021. Differences were assessed in four dimensions: (1) analytics-oriented digital technologies (AODT), (2) customer-oriented digital technologies (CODT), (3) growth and innovation–oriented digital technologies (GODT), and (4) futuristic and experimental digital technologies (FEDT). The former two dimensions are foundational to health systems’ digital orientation, whereas the latter two will prepare for future disruptions.MethodsWe surveyed a robust group of health system chief executive officers (CEOs) across the United States from February to March 2021. Among the 625 CEOs, 135 (22%) responded to our survey. We considered the above four broad digital technology orientations, which were ratified with expert consensus. Secondary data were collected from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Compendium, leading to a matched usable dataset of 124 health systems for analysis. We examined the relationship of adopting the four digital orientations to specific hospital characteristics and earlier reported factors as barriers or facilitators to technology adoption.ResultsHealth systems showed a lower level of CODT (mean 4.70) or GODT (mean 4.54) orientations compared with AODT (mean 5.03), and showed the lowest level of FEDT orientation (mean 4.31). The ordered logistic estimation results provided nuanced insights. Medium-sized (P<.001) health systems, major teaching health systems (P<.001), and systems with high-burden hospitals (P<.001) appear to be doing worse with respect to AODT orientations, raising some concerns. Health systems of medium (P<.001) and large (P=.02) sizes, major teaching health systems (P=.07), those with a high revenue (P=.05), and systems with high-burden hospitals (P<.001) have less CODT orientation. Health systems in the midwest (P=.05) and southern (P=.04) states are more likely to adopt GODT, whereas high-revenue (P=.004) and investor-ownership (P=.01) health systems are deterred from GODT. Health systems of a medium size, and those that are in the midwest (P<.001), south (P<.001), and west (P=.01) are more adept to FEDT, whereas medium (P<.001) and high-revenue (P<.001) health systems, and those with a high discharge rate (P=.04) or high burden (P=.003, P=.005) have subdued FEDT orientations.ConclusionsAlmost all health systems have some current foundational digital technological orientations to glean intelligence or service delivery to customers, with some notable exceptions. Comparatively, fewer health systems have growth or futuristic digital orientations. The transformative power of digital technologies can only be leveraged by adopting futuristic digital technologies. Thus, the disparities across these orientations suggest that a holistic, consistent, and well-articulated direction across the United States remains elusive. Accordingly, we suggest that a policy strategy and financial incentives are necessary to spur a well-visioned and articulated digital orientation for all health systems across the United States. In the absence of such a policy to collectively leverage digital transformations, differences in care across the country will continue to be a concern.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a future promise but an urgent necessity for modern public health. By providing invaluable insights into disease patterns, therapeutic interventions, and overall public health management, AI has the potential to revolutionise healthcare. To tackle essential public health functions effectively, harnessing AI must become a top priority. However, there is an urgent need for a cohesive strategy across Europe. Currently, varying readiness levels among European nations regarding AI adoption in health result in uneven progress across the continent. This disparity must be addressed to ensure all countries benefit equally from AI advancements. Recognising this, the World Health Organization European Regional Office launched a regional report on digital health in 2023. The report evaluated the integration of big data and advanced analytics, including AI, in health systems. Findings revealed that while 60% of Member States have a national data strategy, only 35% have a policy regulating big data and AI in health, and 38% lack both. This highlights a critical gap that must be filled urgently. Our upcoming session will address these challenges head-on. Organised to provide visionary insights, practical applications, and a landscape view of artificial intelligence in public health, the presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion in which panellists will delve into practical challenges surrounding AI adoption. They will reflect on the profound impact AI could have on the future of European health systems and offer pragmatic and responsible steps forward, culminating in achievable recommendations for public health professionals. To enhance the session, we will utilise existing Generative AI tools to provide a real-time summary of the plenary and reinforce the call to action in alignment with panellists’ recommendations. This approach ensures that the session discusses the urgent need for AI in public health and actively demonstrates its practical applications. Moderators Natasha Azzopardi Muscat Director, Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe Dimitra Panteli Programme Manager/Senior Health Systems Analyst, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Facilitator Stefan Buttigieg Vice-President, EUPHA Digital health section Speakers/Panellists Martin McKee Professor of European Public Health, London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, UK Katharina Ladewig Director, Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Research, Robert Koch Institute, Germany Marco Marsella Director Digital, EU4Health and Health systems modernisation, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), European Commission Keyrellous Adib Technical Officer Data Science and Digital Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Strengthening public health for a Healthy China

Introduction. The development of computerization and digital technologies in the world leads to their widespread use in the educational process of higher education, at the same time, the modern digital society poses new challenges for national education in terms of training students, who will flexibly adapt to real-life practical situations, think creatively, generate ideas, freely navigate information flows, and be able to search, process, create and use digital information through technical, software, hardware, network and other means of digital technologies. The use of such technologies is extremely relevant today, as there is an urgent need for new approaches to the training of physical therapy specialists due to a number of social factors associated with the deterioration of the health of different age groups, an increase in injuries and disabilities among civilians and military personnel caused by military operations in our country. The purpose of the publication is to substantiate the use of digital technologies in the training of future specialists in the specialty 227 Therapy and Rehabilitation of the educational program "Physical Therapy". Methods. Theoretical analysis of scientific sources, generalization, systematization and comparison of the collected material, modeling. Results. The concepts of pedagogical technology, innovative technology, digitalization of education, digital technology, medical information system have been clarified. The specifics of training specialists in the speciality "Physical Therapy" and functional responsibilities in the future profession are clarified. The article outlines the positions of domestic scholars on the interpretation of the term "digital technology". Some consider this concept as digital resources (platforms, applications, messengers, programmes), others as teaching methods, technical (computer) learning tools. In most scientific sources, the definition of digital technology is presented in terms of various options for combining elements of existing other technologies (interactive, project-based, person-centered) with computer-based learning tools. It has been found that digital technologies are actively used not only in the educational process of higher education institutions, including medical ones, but also in the practical activities of health care institutions. Attention was focused on the practical use of educational simulations, telemedicine, teleexamination, online consultation, electronic health care system (eHealth), medical information systems (Health 24, Doctor Eleks, Helsi), and artificial intelligence in the work of physical therapists. The article presents variants of combining elements of digital and other teaching technologies in practical classes in the discipline "Pedagogy and the Art of Teaching" for students of the second (master's) level of the educational programme "Physical Therapy", speciality "Therapy and Rehabilitation". Conclusion. The use of digital technologies in combination with elements of other innovative technologies ensures effective training of future physical therapists and enriches the process of communicative interaction between the teacher and students in practical classes in the discipline "Pedagogy and the Art of Teaching" for second (master's) level students. Further research needs to highlight the problem of distinguishing between methods and means of teaching that encompass digital technologies. Further research needs to highlight the problem of distinguishing between methods and means of teaching that encompass digital technologies.

Aims: Are there differences in the attitudes of physicians, parents and people with diabetes (PwD) towards digitalization and new technologies in diabetes and how do these change from 20- 2021? Methods: In 20 and 2021, PwD and diabetologists in Germany were asked via online surveys about their attitudes and assessment of digitalization and new technologies in diabetology. 2019: 324 diabetologists (43% female, average age 52.2 years) and 3.427 PwD (47.7% female, 56.6% type 1 diabetes (T1D) , 25.5% type 2 diabetes (T2D) , 8.1% parents of children with diabetes; Ø 49.2±19.3 years) . 2021: 3diabetologists (48% female, average age 53.7 years) and 2.417 PwD (47.5% female, 57.8% type 1 diabetes (T1D) , 20.7% type 2 diabetes (T2D) , 19.0% parents of children with diabetes; Ø 47.7 years) . Results: Parents (T1D) (2019: 89.5% positive; 2021: 91.7%) PwD-TD1 (2019: 85.3%; 2021: 91.1%) have more positive attitudes towards digitalization than PwD-T2D (2019: 73.3%; 2021: 87.1%) or diabetologists (2019: 75.8%; 2021: 81.9%) . Within 2 years, positive attitudes increased in all 4 groups. There was a great agreement between all 4 groups regarding the most important topics for the future of diabetology: AID systems were in first place in the ranking, followed by interoperability of systems, software for analysing glucose data and artificial intelligence. Conclusions: PwD have very positive attitudes towards digitalization and new technologies in diabetes with only very small differences between TD1 and TD2. These are significantly higher than those of physicians. All groups have very high expectations for the further development of AID systems in particular. Disclosure B.Kulzer: Advisory Panel; Bayer AG, Bayer AG, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Berlin-Chemie AG, Berlin-Chemie AG, Dexcom, Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Novo Nordisk, Roche Diabetes Care, Sanofi, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Research Support; Novo Nordisk, Roche Diabetes Care. N.Hermanns: Advisory Panel; Abbott Diabetes, Research Support; Becton, Dickinson and Company, Roche Diagnostics, Speaker's Bureau; Berlin-Chemie AG, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi. D.Ehrmann: Advisory Panel; Dexcom, Inc., Consultant; mySugr, Roche Diabetes Care, Speaker's Bureau; Berlin-Chemie AG, Dexcom, Inc. T.Roos: None. L.Heinemann: Board Member; Lifecare, Inc., Consultant; Becton, Dickinson and Company, Roche Diabetes Care, Stock/Shareholder; Profil Institut für Stoffwechselforschung GmbH, Science Consulting in Diabetes GmbH.

Topicality. The rapid development of digital technologies indicates the onset of a new stage of the industrial revolution, which changes the content of labor and human life. The large-scale introduction of such technologies creates favorable conditions for the general processes of automation and robotization of production. It is quite natural to expect fundamental changes in the economy from the coming digital revolution, because the emergence of electronic productive forces will inevitably change the nature and content of social production relations.Aim and tasks. Explore the dynamics of structural shifts in social and production relations in the context of digitalization and analyze the features of the process of replacing the means of production with more high-tech technologies.Materials and Methods. The results of the analysis and theoretical generalization of developments, scientific approaches to the implementation of structural changes in social-industrial relations, which are covered in publications of a fundamental, analytical and practical nature, as well as official statistical data, analytical materials of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Center for Economic Development, McKinsey&amp;Company, UNIDO reports and Robo Advisor Statistics form the material and methodical basis of the research. The study of structural changes in social and industrial relations in the conditions of digitalization was carried out using the methods of scientific abstraction and analysis.Research results. Studies of theoretical and conceptual foundations and structural shifts in the reproduction of means of production in the conditions of digitalization can be divided into several approaches, namely: structural-sectoral, process, technical-technological, virtual-informational and globalization. In the modern world, digital information technologies are gaining more and more development and application, acting as key factors in the formation of the global economic environment. The sector of the digital economy is growing dynamically, the number of users and processes is increasing. Thus, information and digital technologies are becoming a powerful modern engine in all spheres of social and economic life of society, and the world's leading companies define the processes of digitization and informatization as the driving force of modern innovative development, the growth of the competitiveness of the economy, the quality of life of the population, and social progress. The active development of digital information technologies is connected, first of all, with the search by economic entities for new sources and means that would ensure stable and long-term economic growth. A feature of digitization processes as drivers of economic development is that they affect the economic system through changes in the processes of production, circulation, distribution, and consumption and ensure their dynamic interaction. Today, the global digital network is not only a new way of doing business and technology, it is a qualitatively new form of economic relations that functions in an integrated manner, not in isolation, transforming all other traditional sectors and spheres of economic activity, forming a fundamentally new international economic environment.Conclusion. Economic development is directly related to economic structures and the changes taking place in them. The economic system consists of separate industries, departments, industries, enterprises, has a certain structure of production resources and foreign trade, spatial distribution and is regulated by economic rules and regulations. New information technologies go beyond simple digitalization, as they change the institutional structure of the economy and all functional relationships both at the macro and macro levels. 5G, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, Big Data, blockchain determine the direction of development of the information services market, as e-commerce, e-banking, e-education, e-medical services, e-consulting, e-advertising and much more develop on their basis. By moving away from paper-based processes and digitizing the building blocks of their work, businesses can reduce the number of steps previously required to operate, improve turnaround times, significantly increase their efficiency and, ultimately, reduce costs. The digitalization of the economy will help society create a reliable digital environment, optimize and scale operations, make them consistent and secure. Due to digitalization, it becomes possible to accelerate innovation, support start-ups, teach everyone the basics of programming, and introduce digital technologies into the economy. The implementation of all of the above conditions will improve the performance of the entire economic system of the state and gain additional competitive advantages in the global digital world.