On November 22, 2023, the Swiss Federal Council announced the DigiSanté program.
The program, initiated by the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), aims to promote the digital transformation of the Swiss healthcare system.
Although Switzerland has a high-quality healthcare system, digitalization in this sector is less advanced compared to others. A common strategy is lacking, and data often cannot be used efficiently.
DigiSanté aims to make the healthcare system more efficient
With DigiSanté, the Federal Council and Parliament have now taken steps to advance digitalization in healthcare and to catch up in this area. A total of 50 individual projects are planned by 2034. The focus will be on creating an improved national infrastructure and the necessary digital foundations. This will enable the digitalization of public health services and more efficient data use in research.
From improved data access to new methods – how digital data is transforming medical research:
Data forms the foundation of any health science research project. It is therefore a core element of digital transformation in several respects:
- Standardized data provision:
The qualitative heterogeneity of datasets limits their usefulness and significance in experimental research. DigiSanté lays the foundation for a solid and high-quality data basis through digitalized and standardized data provision.
- Improved data access:
Science can only benefit from available data if it is also freely accessible. DigiSanté supports the development and expansion of appropriate platforms, the networking of relevant IT systems, and the provision of data as freely accessible Open Government Data (OGD).
- New analytical possibilities:
Conventional methods are often only partially suitable for addressing current, often complex, research questions in a targeted and precise manner. Improved data availability opens up a wide range of new analytical opportunities for researchers from academia and the private sector. The availability of so-called health data from patients also plays a key role here.
Source
FOPH – DigiSanté
(Image: Google DeepMind / Unsplash)
