MedTech Europe launches new report on the impact of AI in healthcare

MedTech Europe published yesterday a report outlining the socio-economic impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare and the barriers to its adoption for new healthcare technologies in Europe.

Michael Strübin, Director Digital Health at MedTech Europe, said: “Artificial Intelligence in healthcare can solve pressing challenges for European healthcare systems, but there are critical barriers that need to be addressed. With this report, we want to highlight what the benefits are if we succeed, for patients, healthcare professionals and for society as a whole.”

The study covers eight AI applications categories – wearables, imaging, laboratory applications, physiological monitoring, real-world data, virtual health assistance, personalised apps and robotics – that can be used across the entire patient journey.

It also looked into the socio-economic impact of AI on Europe’s healthcare systems through impacts on health outcomes, financial resources and time spent by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Estimating the socio-economic impact of AI on European health systems is fundamental to advancing the current discourse on the role AI can and should have in health.

MedTech Europe commissioned Deloitte Belgium to conduct and execute the study. Koen Segers, a Life Sciences and Health Care Leader, added: “Currently, several barriers must be addressed to foster AI adoption. We see these barriers in a lot of context including data, legal and regulatory, organisational and financial and social challenges.”

The study concludes that in order to unlock the full potential of AI in healthcare, European health systems and the broader ecosystem need increase collaboration and to make improvements in a number of areas, including the ways such technologies are evaluated and reimbursed, workforce skills and training, and data interoperability and ownership. 

Serge Bernasconi, CEO at MedTech Europe, said: “Artificial Intelligence can address many healthcare challenges and the EU has the potential to lead this area by building an advanced regulatory environment, enabling trustworthy AI and ensuring greater patient trust.”