The future of healthcare will be shaped not just by medical innovation, but by how we manage, share and use data. In collaboration with leading industry experts, I’ve authored a new whitepaper that explores what it truly means to create a connected, data-driven health system — and what must change to make it happen.
Over the past months, I’ve had the privilege of engaging with over 20 healthcare leaders, policy makers, CIOs and digital pioneers. Together, we discussed what’s working, what’s failing, and — most importantly — what’s missing to make health data more usable, secure and impactful.
Our conversations revealed a strong consensus: data is not the problem. We have more health data than ever before. But it remains fragmented, poorly structured, and locked away behind outdated systems or overly rigid regulations.
The whitepaper “Zeitenwende für Gesundheitsdaten” (Turning Point for Health Data) examines this challenge head-on and outlines eight focus areas for action:
- Financing digital health sustainably, beyond one-off funding initiatives.
- Achieving real interoperability through open standards and regulatory consistency.
- Enabling AI readiness with structured, high-quality health data.
- Improving the usability of the electronic patient record (ePA) and integrating patient-generated data.
- Addressing cybersecurity and infrastructure gaps, especially for smaller providers.
- Attracting and retaining IT talent with better working conditions and digital literacy.
- Clarifying the role of national institutions like the Gematik in standard-setting and coordination.
- Creating a strategic governance model that brings all stakeholders together.
Rather than offering abstract visions or future scenarios, the whitepaper focuses on practical barriers and actionable steps — with clear recommendations for policymakers, hospital leaders, and technology providers.
What’s next?
This is not about technology alone. It’s about changing how we think, govern, and invest in health systems. That means building trust, making digital infrastructure a strategic priority, and giving both patients and professionals the tools they need to thrive in a data-driven environment.
If you work in healthcare strategy, digital transformation or public health policy, I invite you to download the full whitepaper and join the discussion.
Download the full whitepaper here →
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About the Author:
Jens Kögler is a healthcare strategist and founder of Kögler Consulting, with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation across Europe’s healthcare and life sciences sectors.