The digital surgical checklist – comparable to a cockpit checklist in an aeroplane – is used before every surgical procedure in KAGes hospitals and is the best-known project that JOANNEUM RESEARCH and KAGes have jointly developed in recent years. However, it is not the only one: over many years of collaboration, IT solutions have also been developed to support the care of elderly people, and both partners are part of the COMET project N!CA at the Medical University of Graz, which aims to make the work of nursing staff easier through digitalisation.
Digital Health Lab: Tailor-made digital solutions for healthcare
‘Two strong Styrian partners in research and healthcare are pooling their expertise and intensifying their cooperation with the clear aim of further advancing digitalisation and thus continuously optimising the growing complexity of healthcare processes – for the benefit of patients,’ says Gerhard Stark, CEO of KAGes, outlining the founding idea behind the virtual Digital Health Lab.
‘Customised software solutions support developments in medicine and make a significant contribution to improving patient care,’ explains Ulf Drabek, KAGes Director of Finance and Technology.
Heinz Mayer, Managing Director of JOANNEUM RESEARCH: ‘The partnership leverages KAGes' expertise as a driver of innovation in the Styrian and Austrian healthcare sector and establishes JOANNEUM RESEARCH as a leading developer of innovative digital healthcare solutions.’
Willibald Ehrenhöfer, Regional Minister for Science and Research, emphasises the importance of this collaboration: "Digitalisation offers enormous opportunities for our society. With the Digital Health Lab, we are creating a strong foundation for jointly developing innovative solutions that will significantly improve the everyday lives of patients and healthcare professionals. I am particularly pleased that JOANNEUM RESEARCH, our state-owned research company, is playing a key role as a driving force behind the digital transformation and contributing its expertise to this forward-looking collaboration."
‘With the Digital Health Lab, we are creating a strong alliance for modern, secure and future-oriented healthcare. Digitalisation in healthcare is not an end in itself; it reduces the workload on staff, giving them more time to care for patients,’ emphasises Karlheinz Kornhäusl, Regional Minister for Health. ‘The collaboration between KAGes and JOANNEUM RESEARCH enriches our healthcare system: it is interdisciplinary, closely aligned with needs and has a clear responsibility for quality and patient safety. This project is an important step towards further strengthening Styria's position as a pioneer in digital healthcare.’
Interdisciplinary collaboration for better healthcare
Experts from the fields of medicine, nursing, technology and data analysis work hand in hand at the Digital Health Lab. The collaboration makes targeted use of the geographical proximity and existing cooperation experience of both organisations. While KAGes contributes its medical and nursing expertise and its excellent know-how in IT practice and development in the healthcare sector, JOANNEUM RESEARCH contributes comprehensive digitalisation expertise: With a focus on eHealth solutions for process support and digitalisation, quality assurance, risk prediction and decision support, the research institute is working on facilitating data exchange, improving interprofessional collaboration and empowering systemically relevant professional groups in the healthcare sector.
Areas of work and innovation priorities
The collaboration focuses on developing and implementing digital care pathways for various medical specialties. Key processes in medical and nursing care are being gradually digitised – based on the specific needs of local staff, but in line with the hospital operator's overall IT strategy.
There is a particular focus on optimising interprofessional communication processes and improving the flow of information across professional groups. The aim of the virtual Digital Health Lab is to develop practical digital applications for everyday clinical practice.
Facts & figures
JOANNEUM RESEARCH provides innovation and technology services in the field of applied research. As a research company working on behalf of various federal provinces and regions in Austria, our expertise shapes the development of our modern society and economy – sustainably, and always with a focus on people. As a multidisciplinary team working in a flexible set-up that fosters innovation, we always live up to the highest social and scientific standards.
The Steiermärkische Krankenanstaltengesellschaft is the largest healthcare provider in Styria. Around 1.3 million patients are treated and cared for annually at 23 locations (regional hospitals and regional care centres).
KAGes has extensive IT expertise in modernising and digitising the Styrian healthcare system. In line with its internal ‘Strategy 2030’, it responds to medical advances and new requirements and develops innovative technological solutions to increase the efficiency of patient care and internal processes.
