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As part of the 77th Locarno Film Festival, digitalswitzerland organised an event on the topic of artificial intelligence with a focus on Switzerland, technology in art and the power of collaboration between regions.
The mission of digitalswitzerland is to unite the private sector, the public sector, the academic community and the population of all language regions in Switzerland around a leading digital agenda. Such an agenda enables Switzerland to be a leading nation in terms of innovation, business location and digital competitiveness. With this in mind, experts, visionaries, industry pioneers and innovative companies from the public and private sectors as well as academia came together at the PalaCinema Locarno on 7 August to highlight the revolutionary impact of artificial intelligence on the modern business world. Three forward-looking questions were at the centre of the event: How can the Swiss creative tech ecosystem develop? How can Switzerland benefit from the supercomputers in Ticino? Why do the regions need to join forces in the age of AI?
Digitalisation of the healthcare system is an important topic in Switzerland. Many actors have developed new solutions and initiatives to support this ambitious goal. Because of this, it is hard to keep track of all activities and what they focus on.
That’s why we have created an ecosystem map to illustrate the different digital solutions focussing on enhancing the digital patient journey and the digitalisation of the healthcare system in Switzerland.
This map will help you to better understand the complexity of the ecosystem, find synergies between different organisations, enhance collaboration and identify existing gaps.
Latest edition of the Ecosystem Map | Q2 2024
The list is not exhaustive; if a solution or initiative is missing or if you want to give feedback, please email jade@digitalswitzerland.com.
To better understand the categories of the map and to navigate easily, please see below:
We will update this map every quarter.
Are you interested to read more about digital health topics? Explore findings from our study: “The digital healthcare system from the perspective of the population.”
Map Archive
The effects of climate change can be felt around the world. But as an Alpine country, Switzerland is particularly affected. In the study ‘Smart and Green – Digital Pathways to Net Zero’, digitalswitzerland and economiesuisse, in collaboration with Accenture, analysed how digitalisation can help close the climate gap and what concrete measures industries can take to help achieve the climate goals. In this blog series, we want to take a closer look at different industries and give concrete recommendations for action. In this first post, we shed light on the question: ‘What is the climate gap and why does Switzerland need to close it by 2030?’
To prevent the increase of extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods and winters with little snow, Switzerland urgently needs to take measures to reduce its emissions. Evidently, increasingly frequent extreme weather events not only have a devastating impact on the environment, but also on human health and the economy. Climate scientists, politicians and the Swiss population all agree that action is needed. A central concept in this discussion is the so-called ‘climate gap’. But what exactly is the climate gap? And why is it so important to close this gap by 2030?
The climate gap is the difference between current greenhouse gas emissions and the emission reduction targets required to limit global temperature increases to a safe level. More precisely, it is the amount of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases that still need to be reduced in order to achieve the defined climate targets.
As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, Switzerland has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. This means that emissions must be reduced from 55.3 million tonnes of CO₂ to 27.7 million tonnes of CO₂. Currently (as of 2023), emissions are around 43.9 million tonnes. A considerable reduction (16.2 million tonnes) is therefore still required to close the gap.
The study results show that digital technologies can make a significant contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. Two digitalisation scenarios were examined in the study: one in which Switzerland continues to push ahead with digitalisation at its current pace, and one in which Switzerland could more than double its CO₂ savings through ambitious digitalisation efforts.
Effectively, this means that we could save between 1.2 and 3.2 million tonnes of CO₂ through digitalisation. This corresponds to a closure of 7% to 20% of the existing climate gap.
Companies in particular play a key role in closing this climate gap. By investing in technologies and processes, they can not only reduce their own emissions, but also contribute to achieving the national climate targets. For example, by using energy-efficient machines or using IoT (Internet of Things) technologies and big data to optimise processes.
Promoting innovation in the field of sustainable digitalisation is crucial. When companies invest in research and development projects leading new technologies and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they not only improve their internal processes, but also contribute to the resilience of the economy in times of climate change.
Closing the climate gap by 2030 is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Switzerland has set an ambitious target for itself, and now must act decisively to achieve it. The quickest way for this is for politics and business to pull together. The targeted use of digitalisation and technologies can have a significant positive impact on processes and industries. If we use these levers effectively, we can make great strides towards this goal and thus contribute to a future worth living for generations to come.
In the next parts of this blog, we will take a closer look at the five sectors analysed: energy, agriculture, buildings, transport, and industry, providing specific recommendations on how companies can use technologies to reduce their emissions and operate more sustainably.
The integration of digitalisation and new technologies in healthcare offers both challenges and opportunities. Swiss citizens are ready for a fully digitised healthcare system if it provides added value, whereas healthcare professionals (HCPs) face concerns with the fear of increased workload and non-intuitive systems. This study explores how HCPs can be empowered to adopt digital health tools effectively.
An in depth online research indicated that while many institutions offer CAS or masters on digital health, few initiatives directly support HCPs in adopting these solutions.
Interviews with Swiss HCPs were conducted on 4 key areas: “ Digital health and Tools”, “Support and Involvement”, “Barriers towards digitalisation”, and “Optimising adoption”.
During the interviews, the healthcare professionals clearly showed their willingness to adopt new technologies. The digital literacy of the participating HCPs is of a high level. They have clear ideas on what to implement next and how it can support them in giving more efficient care to their patients. Enhanced communication between systems (data interoperability) and reduction of administrative burden have the most potential for HCPs. By addressing concerns and potential barriers in an early state, like fear of extra workload and non-intuitive nature of many digital systems, the perception of new digital technologies can be positively altered.
A potential solution for the future is to implement a co-design framework in three stages, where healthcare professionals, clinic leaders but also patients collaboratively determine the priorities and identify potential barriers for new digital health technologies. First to identify and address the priorities, potential benefits and barriers along with strategies to tackle these obstacles. The second stage offers continuous evaluation and adaptation. And finally, in the third stage digital solutions will be implemented with the help of the HCP champions.
In conclusion, actively involving HCPs in the digitalisation process and addressing their concerns and needs are crucial for successful integration of digital health technologies. By leveraging their insights and providing adequate support and training, the healthcare sector can navigate the digital transformation more effectively, ultimately enhancing the work of the healthcare professionals and thereby patient care and outcomes.
This study was conducted with healthcare professionals practising in Switzerland (doctors, nurses, therapists etc). They were contacted via oral interviews or a written questionnaire The HCPs were interviewed in April and May 2024.The online questionnaire was open between April 19th until May 31st 2024. The participation in the online questionnaire was voluntary and anonymous. Certain HCPs gave their authorisation to be named within the study .A total of 25 HCPs filled out the questionnaire and 7 HCPs were interviewed. All percentages are rounded to a whole number. All information regarding the demographic composition can be found in the appendix.
In the evolving landscape of healthcare, the integration of digitalisation and new technologies stands both as a challenge and a promising opportunity. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) as well as patients are at the forefront of this transformation. According to digitalswitzerland’s Digital Health Study (Sternberg, 2022), Swiss citizens are ready to for a fully digitalised healthcare system – if it provides an added value. HCPs on the other hand are more concerned with digital transformation; different studies suggest that infrastructure and technical barriers, as well as psychological and personal issues or increased workload are commonly linked to digitalisation. In fact, the journey towards embracing and adopting digitalisation within healthcare systems still remains today a complex process.
Imagine a world where healthcare professionals navigate a digital realm of patient data, treatment protocols, and innovative tools to enhance patient outcomes, while keeping close contact with the patients. This vision is the key driver to digitalswitzerland’s study which explores how doctors, nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals can be empowered to adopt digital health effectively and benefit from digital tools to improve their daily work.
This is why we are researching ways to enhance digital adoption in healthcare among medical professionals (HCPs). This will help us to better understand the needs and challenges HCPs face daily and to better support them in the future
This goal can only be achieved through better understanding of the needs and challenges of HCPs. In-depth interviews with HCPs from Switzerland provided insights into their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. These insights will help to develop a strategy to support/empower HCPs to become advocates for digital health. The four main topics covered in the interviews were “Digital Health and tools”, “support and involvement”, “barriers towards digitalisation” and “optimising adoption”.
To assess existing resources designed to assist healthcare professionals and healthcare systems in integrating digital health technologies, an in-depth online analysis was conducted. The findings indicate that numerous institutions (over 30) are active in this field, primarily offering extensive educational programs such as Certified Advanced Studies (CAS) or master’s degrees as well as multi-day courses targeting managers and clinic leaders. However, this analysis reveals the existence of only a limited number of initiatives that directly support HCPs in adopting digital health solutions effectively. For example, Careum offers a course for ward leaders in how to successfully shape digitalisation and SIWF (Schweizerische Institut für ärztliche Weiter- und Fortbildung) offered a symposia with digitalisation as one of the topics and accredited Seminars from two different firms.
Typically, HCPs are only consulted or brought into the fold after a digital health solution has been implemented, at which point they are expected to use it. This often leads to scepticism, apprehension, and concerns about additional workload. If HCPs are empowered to take active roles in developing and implementing digital health tools, they can become peers to their colleagues and thereby smoothen the integration process and enhance the overall effectiveness of digital health initiatives.
The results of this publication will serve as a baseline to better equip stakeholders and HCPs with the tools and resources they need to adopt digitalisation effectively in their daily work, but also ensure their active involvement in the digitalisation journey. It is crucial to recognise that HCPs are the primary users of digital health tools to improve diagnostics and treatment of patients. Therefore, their engagement is crucial for a successful digitalisation implementation.
Digital health encompasses a variety of technologies and innovations aimed at improving healthcare delivery and management and patient outcomes through digital solutions. This includes tools like the electronic patient record, telemedicine, and wearable devices. (World Health Organisation, 2024; FDA, 2020”) During the interviews, HCPs highlighted several recurring themes. The most frequently mentioned aspects include the importance of electronic patient records and data management, the potential for monitoring and managing chronic illnesses, and the limitations of digital health where physical consultation can not be replaced by telemedicine. The need for improved collaboration and hospital information system integration between healthcare providers to ensure seamless information flow is also mentioned. The HCPs from the study have a good understanding of what digital health entails.
Digital literacy refers to the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills (ALA, 2011). 63% of the interviewed healthcare professionals evaluate themselves as having high to very high health literacy levels (score 4 to 5), with only 4% stating that they have none to low digital capabilities (score 1-2). Keeping in mind that the interviewed HCPs might generally be more interested in digitalisation, they have strong capabilities to understand and adapt to new digital technologies.
Digital health solutions have the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of HCP. Saving time is one of the key benefits digital tools could bring to HCPs (NHS, 2022), nevertheless, it is important to better understand what HCPs think could most benefit them.
Two of the most named solutions are systems that can properly communicate between each other (data-interoperability), and digital tools that lower the administrative burden.
HCPs are often frustrated about systems that can not communicate with each other. Effective data interoperability means that various healthcare systems can share and use information seamlessly. This will not only streamline workflows but also reduces time spent on manual data entry and retrieval. Dr. med. Conrad Müller also refers to this, bridging the gap between the different systems is key to improve efficiency in healthcare.
A significant portion of HCPs’ is consumed by administrative tasks such as documentation, scheduling, and retrieving information. Digital tools that automate these processes can free up considerable time for HCPs. Nathalie Daina-Laville, Independent nurse specialist in diabetics, also commented on lightening the administrative burden during her interview.
One interviewee stated that up until today HCPs need to support the systems, but now, the time has come for the systems to start supporting the HCPs. This statement underscores the need for user-friendly and efficient digital tools that aid healthcare professionals rather than add to their workload. HCPs are willing to use digital health tools for their daily work as long as it brings clear added value for them and the patients.
Digital health solutions have the potential to transform healthcare delivery, but their design should be guided by the needs and preferences of HCPs. Ensuring data interoperability and reducing the administrative burden are key areas where digital health tools can make a difference. The ultimate goal is to enable HCPs to focus on their primary role: providing patient care.
In recent years, more digital health tools to track patient’s health status have emerged. These can play a critical role in enhancing healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. (Kirk, M. 2019). Among these, sensors for home monitoring are an important tool to increase treatment efficiency, patient satisfaction and reduce the amount of hospitalised patients (Mantena S. 2020). Despite the evident benefits these devices can offer, most of the interviewed HCPs are not using any digital health tools to track patients’ health statuses.
A good example of using devices is reported by Dr. med Conrad Müller. There are sensors with a chip that can monitor vital parameters like temperature, puls, and frequency of breathing which can send live information to the hospital. Thereby allowing the doctor to closely monitor patients who are at home.
Wearables that are mentioned are glucose home monitoring systems and smart watches to monitor heart rates. Some of the interviewed HCPs mention using hospital records that combine prescription assistance with discharge letters and computerised hospital files. These tools primarily support treatment and administrative tasks but do not actively monitor patient health status.
Some HCPs have participated in digital health pilots. One example is COBEDIAS, which focuses on early disease recognition. Another pilot project was around an AI-supported X-ray reading tool by tracking potential diagnoses at the emergency department.
These pilot projects enabled the HCPs working on them to be interested in the new technology since they were intensively involved in testing and could see the direct benefits. This highlights the importance of involving HCPs in the development and testing phases to ensure that the tools are understood and meet the clinical needs.
HCPs who have experienced the benefits of a pilot project or testing the digital health tools first hand can become influential advocates or champions during the implementation phase. This peer-to-peer influence will help foster an environment that is open to digital health innovations.
The adoption of digital health tools or wearables to track patient’s health status holds great promise for improving healthcare. Through a collaborative approach, tools to track a patient’s health status can be effectively integrated into clinical practice, leading to better health outcomes and more efficient care delivery.
As mentioned above, getting HCPs involved in the implementation process enhances the adoption of new digital health tools. In addition, training and education as well as robust infrastructure have shown to be effective (AMA, Digital Health Research 2022). A majority of the interviewed HCPs emphasised the need for training and conferences, preferably in-person, to support the adoption of digital health solutions. Seminars and workshops, especially if integrated into everyday working life and counted as working time, are frequently mentioned. A minority of HCPs mentioned the importance of continuous evaluation and having more training opportunities during work hours.
Intuitive and simple user interfaces that reduce the need for extensive training are also a common suggestion. Involvement in any form is key for adoption and understanding the new technology.
If HCPs do not come into contact with new technologies they can not familiarise themselves with them or adapt to them. For example, as already mentioned previously, pilot projects or workshops on digital solutions help users to get accustomed to them. Peers are frequently named by HCPs as a main source of learning and knowledge sharing. Attending conferences, both in-person and online are also a source of knowledge. Educational videos and reading articles are also popular methods. The interviewed healthcare professionals have a willingness to adopt new technologies within their daily work, but incentivisation and training resources are still limited.
The willingness to be involved in the design and development phase are strongly highlighted. 83% of the interviewed HCPs responded that they would like to be involved at some level of the implementation process of digital health solutions. Within this group of 83%, only 20% are actually involved.
This illustrates that different hospitals and clinics do not leverage their resources efficiently and would be able to bring more innovation forward by co-creating together with their staff.
Graph 1 – Willingness to be involved
Participation in the implementation process of digital health solutions occurs on different levels. They can be divided into: participating in brainstorming sessions to conceptualise, being an active member of the design team, contributing to the testing and validation phase or giving feedback on the suggested digital health tools (Bird, 2021).
The brainstorming sessions would focus on conceptualisation. In these sessions HCPs and other stakeholders would name all ideas that can potentially be beneficial to them. This process is needed to gain insights on the different perspectives the stakeholders have. Among the interviewees, 63% want to be involved in brainstorming sessions, showing their willingness and importance of collaborative creation in the early stages of development.
Being part of the design team allows HCPs to actively shape the digital health solution. About a third (32%) of the interviewed HCPs showed interest in being a member of the design team, indicating that they want to contribute to the creation process.
During the testing and validation phase HCPs can contribute and adapt the final version of the digital health solution. This will improve the user friendliness, intuitivity and meet the required functions set out by the HCPs. 56% of the interviewees were open to be involved in this phase.
Providing feedback during the implementation phase supports the continuous improvement and addressing any issues that might arise post-implementation. 79% of the participants would be willing to give feedback.
Before deciding on implementing a new technology within a hospital, clinic or practice, it is recommended to invite interested HCPs to contribute to the discussion and analysis of said technology.
The motivation behind HCPs to be more involved in the digitisation process is important, however, it is also important to better understand the different barriers that medical professionals are facing.
Infrastructure, the fear of additional workload or personal reasons (resistance to change, perception of less interaction with the patient or the fear of digital tools taking over the work of the HCPs), are commonly named challenges (Borges do Nascimento, I.J., 2023). Only 13% of the interviewed HCPs report not encountering any barriers in implementing digital solutions. Half of the respondents identified infrastructure and fear of extra work as limitations, whereas 29% named personal reasons. The introduction of new digital solutions is often perceived as an additional burden rather than a relief, leading to resistance prior to implementation or understanding of the new system.
Another recurrent issue is the non-intuitive nature of many digital systems. The systems are often complex, requiring significant support and training to be effectively used and perform tasks efficiently. This complexity and the need for extensive training further exacerbate resistance to adopting new technologies.
HCPs and citizens frequently express their concerns on the protection of personal health data. This apprehension is driven by fear of data misuse and rising risks of becoming victims of hacking attacks, as was often mentioned in the media (Bavli, l, 2024).
The protection of personal health data was a commonly voiced concern during the interviews (66%). Many respondents stated that they are worried of data manipulation and misuse by insurance companies. Fear of systems being hacked by third parties is another obstacle. Despite these concerns, ⅓ of the HCPs feel that hospital information systems are becoming increasingly secure and do not identify additional risks in adopting new digital applications. In their perspective, current laws and regulations are sufficient. Health data is already widely available to major technology companies in Switzerland. To address concerns and shift the current narrative on data protection, a stronger emphasis should be made on existing measures taken by both software developers and hospitals. By making them aware and highlighting the robust data protection protocols already in place can help reassure HCPs and improve confidence in digital health solution.
After collecting information on the current state of digital adoption, on HCPs’ involvement, and on identified challenges in the space, it is important to focus on how adoption processes can be optimised in the future (Medoza, L.E. 2023)
Digitalisation in healthcare is currently not advancing at the interviewee’s workplace due to a combination of factors, including a shortage of personnel, limited time, and insufficient financial resources. There is also a notable fear towards change and scepticism about the overall benefits of digitalisation. The lack of collaboration between different healthcare organisations, such as hospitals, clinics and practices, are also significant barriers. There is a general sentiment that current digital tools are not developed with professionals’ needs in mind, and that rigid or conservative structures within companies or organisations make it difficult to incorporate innovative ideas.
To improve the adoption of digitalisation among healthcare professionals, many respondents emphasised the need for simple, user-friendly solutions that enhance administrative efficiency and free up time for direct patient care. There is a strong call for digital tools that are useful and well-adapted to the needs of healthcare professionals, rather than those supporting other stakeholders, like healthcare insurance companies, in the healthcare system. HCPs want training courses integrated into the education program. Additionally, the need for gradual integration, hands-on implementation, and active involvement of healthcare professionals in the design and development of digital solutions is mentioned. To address the scepticism and tiredness towards new systems, it can be helpful to clearly demonstrate their benefits and ensure cooperation among all involved stakeholders.
During the interviews, the healthcare professionals clearly showed their willingness to adopt new technologies. The digital literacy of the participating HCPs is of a high level. They have clear ideas on what to implement next and how it can support them in giving more efficient care to their patients. By addressing concerns and potential barriers in an early state the perception of new digital technologies can be positively altered.
A potential solution for the future is to implement a co-design framework where healthcare professionals, clinic leaders but also patients collaboratively determine the priorities for new digital health technologies. This should tackle potential barriers and issues early in the process, in the end leading to more successful adoption and utilisation of the technology. Based on the findings of this study, and already published research , a framework consisting of three stages is proposed.
The first stage addresses the different stakeholders’ priorities upfront, identifying what benefits the technology needs to deliver, outlining potential barriers, such as fear of extra work and non-intuitivity that are mentioned by the HCPs in this study, along with strategies to tackle these obstacles.
Every stakeholder has different priorities. Hospitals want processes done efficiently, HCPs want to spend as little time as possible on administration and patients want these tools to be easily accessible and used to provide the information they need.
Investing time and resources upfront will save frustrations, revising the tools, and poor implementation after.
The second stage involves continuous evaluation during the development process to ensure that the technology meets its intended goals and is intuitive to use. Continuous evaluation is something HCPs are already doing in their medical processes, and what they are also referring to in this study when asked. This will ensure that the tool will still fulfil its intended tasks for both the side of the HCPs as well as the patients. During this phase the user intuitiveness, which is a key priority to our interviewed HCPs, can be closely monitored. This remains crucial for adoption by the HCPs and will reduce the need of support teams to assist the HCPs to use the new technology after implementation .
And in the third stage, when the development is done, the HCPs become champions of the technology, addressing scepticism among colleagues and demonstrating to them the clear benefits it offers. This creates a crucial role in the phase of implementation with the HCPs who were actively involved in the development phase. Usual practice these days ist that HCP champions are created after a training day with the development team. These (old) champions can still remain sceptical to the new technology, have certain barriers towards it, or do not fully understand all the different possibilities. The HCPs involved in the entire process become real champions that will demonstrate the benefits of the new technology.
This co-design framework will enhance adoption amongst all stakeholders by actively involving them, and assuring it fulfils the needs of the users. It will assure the technology is intuitive to use, improving overall user experience. Lastly, the involvement of the new champions will make the solution sustainable and robust for the future.
In conclusion, actively involving HCPs in the digitalisation process and addressing their concerns and needs are crucial for successful integration of digital health technologies. By leveraging their insights and providing adequate support and training, the healthcare sector can navigate the digital transformation more effectively, ultimately enhancing the work of the healthcare professionals and thereby patient care and outcomes.
This document was written between April 2024 and June 2024 based on the results of the questionnaire: Digitalisation adoption among healthcare professionals
This document was written between April 2024 and June 2024 based on the results of the questionnaire: Digitalisation adoption among healthcare professionals
Main author:
Bryan Quak: Digital Health specialist, digitalswitzerland
Support from:
Jade Sternberg, Senior Project Lead Digital Health, digitalswitzerland
Colin Wallace, Senior Corporate Communications specialist, digitalswitzerland
About digitalswitzerland
digitalswitzerland is a Swiss-wide, cross-industry initiative that aims to transform Switzerland into a leading digital nation. Along with our network of 170+ association members and non-political partners, including more than 1,000 top executives, we’re engaged in over 25 projects to inspire, initiate, co-create and lead digital change in Switzerland.
Our mission is to orchestrate the digital transformation of Switzerland to become a leading digital nation. To achieve this goal, we work closely together with our members, partners, and other important stakeholders. We address all aspects of digitalisation and focus on generating impact in relevant topics, such as Education, Professionals and Diversity, Digital Health, and more.
About Digital Health initiative
digitalswitzerland’s Digital Health initiative aims to digitalise the entire healthcare system in Switzerland and make it patient-centric. This will help increase transparency, accessibility and understanding of health information for the entire Swiss population. All healthcare actors need to collaborate, including the healthcare professionals and patients to achieve this ambitious goal.
| Term | Definition |
| Administrative Burden | The workload associated with administrative tasks such as documentation and scheduling. |
| AMA (American Medical Association) | A professional association for physicians in the United States that supports the advancement of medical practice. |
| Automated Voice-to-Text Tool | Technology that converts spoken language into written text automatically. |
| Barriers | Obstacles that prevent the successful implementation or adoption of something. |
| Careum Foundation | A Swiss institution that offers educational courses for healthcare professionals. |
| CAS (Certified Advanced Studies) | Specialised postgraduate courses aimed at providing advanced knowledge in specific areas. |
| Champion | An advocate or proponent who actively supports or promotes something. |
| COBEDIAS | A Swiss pilot project focusing on early disease recognition. |
| Co-design Framework | A collaborative approach involving various stakeholders in the design and development process. |
| Continuous Evaluation | Ongoing assessment to ensure that a process or system meets its goals and remains effective. |
| Data Interoperability | The ability of different systems and organisations to exchange and use data seamlessly. |
| Digital Health Tools | Technologies designed to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes through digital means. |
| Digital Health Solutions | Applications and technologies used to improve health care services and delivery through digital means. |
| Digital Literacy | The ability to use information and communication technologies, to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills |
| Digital Network Structure | A framework that allows different digital systems to connect and communicate. |
| Digital Transformation | The integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how it operates. |
| Digitalisation | The process of converting information into a digital format. |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) | The US government agency responsible for regulating food, drugs, and medical devices. |
| Hacking Attacks | Unauthorised access to computer systems to steal or manipulate data. |
| Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) | Medical personnel such as doctors, nurses, and other health practitioners. |
| Hospital Information System | An integrated system that manages the administrative, financial, and clinical aspects of a hospital. |
| In-depth Online Research | Comprehensive and detailed investigation conducted via the internet. |
| Infrastructure | The basic physical and organisational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. |
| Multi-sector Collaborations | Partnerships that involve multiple sectors or industries working together. |
| Non-intuitive Systems | Systems that are not easy to use or understand without significant training. |
| Personal Health Data | Information related to an individual’s health status, healthcare, or medical history. |
| Pilot Projects | Initial small-scale implementations of a project to test its feasibility and benefits. |
| Post-implementation | The phase after a new system or technology has been deployed, focusing on its continued use and improvement. |
| SIWF (Schweizerische Institut für ärztliche Weiter- und Fortbildung) | A Swiss institute for medical education and continuing education. |
| Telemedicine | The use of telecommunications technology to provide medical care remotely. |
| Wearable Devices | Electronic devices worn on the body that can track health metrics like heart rate and activity levels. |
| WHO (World Health Organization) | An international public health agency of the United Nations. |
Chapter 2.1 Digital Health and Tools
2.1.1 What are your thoughts when it comes to Digital Health?
2.1.2 How do you rate your digital literacy?
2.1.3 Which digital health solutions could benefit your work? What do you want to be implemented?
2.1.4 Do you already use specific digital health tools or wearables to track your patient’s health status?
2.2 Support and Involvement
2.2.1 How could you be supported in adopting digital health solutions?
2.2.2 How do you familiarise yourself with new technologies? Do you use platforms or tools to better adopt digitalisation in your daily work?
2.2.3 Would you like to be involved in the design and development of digital health solutions? Are you already involved?
2.2.4 If you are interested in being part of the innovation process, what type of involvement would you like to have?
2.3 Barriers
2.3.1 Which barriers do you see when it comes to the implementation of digital solutions?
2.3.2 Could you elaborate on the barriers about the implementation of digital solutions that you checked above?
2.3.3 Are you worried about the protection of personal health data?
2.3.4 Why are you (not) worried?
2.4 Optimising adoption process
2.4.1 What do you think is needed to improve adoption of digitalisation among healthcare professionals?
2.4.2 Why is digitalisation in healthcare currently not improving at your workplace? What do your think are the reasons for slow pace digitalisation in healthcare?
2.4.3 Would you like to add something to this questionnaire? Is there an important topic for you related to Digital Health we didn’t discuss?
Graph 2 – Gender
Graph 3 – Age Groups
Graph 4 – Profession
Graph 5 – Type of Workplace
Graph 7 – Workplace rural of urban
Graph 8 – Region of Workplace
Graph 9 – Linguistic region of workplace
The adoption of digitalisation by healthcare professionals: Insights and Opportunities
Zurich, 2.07.2024
Although great care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, the author and contributors involved are not responsible for the accuracy of the data, information and advice provided, nor for any printing errors.
All rights reserved, including translation into other languages. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transcribed and/or translated into any computer language, including any information processing language, in any form without the prior written permission of the authors.
The rights to the trademarks mentioned remain with their respective owners.
Coordination of the publication: Bryan Quak, Jade Sternberg and Colin Wallace (digitalswitzerland)
Graphic design: Lina Alice Machts (Ads and Ventures)
From 18th – 20th June, the Digital Identity unConference Europe (DICE) took part in Zurich. It served as a magnifying glass to the world of digital identities, revealing insights and collaborative efforts across various states, industries and communities.
The first day of the unConference contained inputs from representatives in government, business and technology. In a highly anticipated opening statement Federal Councillor Beat Jans, the ‘elephant in the room’ got addressed right away: When and in what form will the E-ID and the associated trust infrastructure be ready? Mr. Jans clarified the projected timeline and the expected form of the new E-ID infrastructure in Switzerland, as the Swiss parliament is set to pass the necessary legislation in the upcoming fall. The Federal administration envisions a multi-stack approach, relying on different technologies in order to ensure optimal security as well as interoperability. The Federal Councillor’s insights built on the previous rejection of an E-ID project by Swiss voters in 2021. As a consequence, Mr. Jans emphasised that the revised approach aimed to be more transparent and secure, incorporating feedback from various stakeholders to ensure broader acceptance.
Additionally, the first day of the DICE set the Swiss E-ID project in an international context: Discussions explored how other countries are navigating the challenges and opportunities of digital identity systems, highlighting the diverse approaches to E-ID implementations across different regions of the world. From the EU’s eIDAS framework to the US government’s E-ID projects, the discussions underscored the importance of considering cultural and legal differences as well as the challenges regarding interoperability that lie ahead. Interoperability between different E-ID systems holds the premise of a seamless user experience and broader acceptance, yet it remains a challenging frontier. Various panellists emphasised the need for a steady and well-structured approach when it comes ensuring interoperability.
For the remaining days of DICE,the traditional conference format was abandoned. Instead, the unConference format fostered an open, participatory environment where every attendee could contribute and set up their own sessions to discuss a specific topic. This dynamic setup allowed for a fluid exchange of ideas and projects, making it an ideal setting for tackling the multifaceted issues of digital identity.
A recurring theme was the critical need for trust to achieve broader user acceptance, which was illustrated by discussions surrounding the implementation of the EU identity wallet system. Practical user experience focuses on making interfaces user-friendly and straightforward, with feedback loops to refine the system. Experts pointed to the importance of the wallet’s contextual relevance, accessibility to a vast amount of users, and ability to protect sensitive data. Industry standards can thereby influence its functionalities, while guardianship mechanisms should ensure that users’ rights and data are protected. The recovery process was mentioned as a vital aspect, as it must be robust and user-friendly to mitigate data loss risks and reinforce user trust in the system. By enhancing these aspects, the EU aims to create a digital identity wallet that is not only technologically robust but also widely accepted and used by the public.
The concept of organisational identity emerged as a more recent effort within the digital identity sphere. Organisational identity addresses how companies and organisations maintain their unique digital presence securely and consistently in a digital space. As organisations increasingly interact with various digital ecosystems — be it for regulatory compliance, customer engagement, or internal operations — the need for a coherent and secure organisational digital identity becomes paramount. Such an identity thereby encapsulates the organisation’s core attributes, such as its business type, industry standards, and operational roles, ensuring that all transactions and interactions are traceable and verifiable. Additionally, as organisations undergo digital transformations, maintaining a consistent identity across multiple platforms and services is essential to prevent fraud and enhance operational efficiency. Implementing strong authentication and authorization mechanisms can help organisations mitigate risks and enhance trust with partners and customers.
With quantum computing on the horizon, the unConference also touched upon the need for quantum-resistant digital identities. As quantum computers become more and more powerful in future, they could potentially break many of the cryptographic protocols that current digital identity systems rely on. The digital identity community is increasingly focused on developing quantum-resistant cryptography methods to ensure that digital identities remain secure even as the landscape of computing evolves. The challenge lies not only in developing these new cryptographic standards but also in integrating them into existing digital systems in a way that is seamless and transparent to users. This proactive approach in anticipating quantum resilience will play a vital role in maintaining the long-term security and viability of digital identity systems, safeguarding user data against future technological disruptions and ensuring that the digital identity ecosystem can withstand the next wave of upcoming computing advancements.
The Digital Identity unConference Europe was an innovative and collaborative ground for sowing the seeds and growing solutions of future digital identity frameworks and technologies. The discussions and insights provided not only a snapshot of current challenges and innovations but also a vision for the path forward — a path characterised by inclusivity, security, and adaptability to future technological shifts.
This publication is addressed to players of the digital health ecosystem in Switzerland. It provides clear and actionable recommendations to facilitate the transition between the end of design phase and the deployment phase, tackling crucial aspects of the challenge. The recommendations were collected during an insightful event for digital health organisations in Western Switzerland co-organised by digitalswitzerland and Biopôle on 30 April, featuring Tigen Pharma’s achievements in the space and an interactive expert panel discussion.
Digitalisation opens up a whole new source of knowledge for stakeholders to collect, store and share data between different healthcare stakeholders. Digital health solutions have been growing massively in Switzerland in the last years, expanding in various areas such as telemedicine, wearables, patient records, healthy ageing, mental health, femtech, value-based healthcare and personalised medicine. Western Switzerland has a strong footprint in the digital health innovation space with the presence of universities and university hospitals, innovation hubs, and a large biotech ecosystem2. Digital health startups and scaleups face many hurdles when transitioning between the end of design and the deployment of the digital health solutions. 90%3 of startups do not make it through their first year, and 50% survive through the first five years.
“We do not only collaborate with startups. We learn! We need to get this knowledge, it’s a real collaboration. We bring our skills and gain learnings from them – it’s important!” – Sébastien Fabbri
“This is precisely the role of the Genolier Innovation hub, to bring the healthcare stakeholders together under one roof (patients and doctors) and reduce the latency time.” – Anna Gräbner
“Diversifying our team enriches our thinking, improves our decision making and strengthens our position in the market.” – Anna Gräbner
“To differentiate, you need to have a strong concept. To be memorable you must be able to scale. You need a well-founded architecture with high privacy, security, interoperability aspects but also a user centric interface.” Sébastien Fabbri
“Please never disclose your know-how and your inventions in public publications because it will then fall into the public domain, and anyone can then use it.” – Lorenza Ferrari Hofer
“You should not be in love with your first idea.” – Antoine Maison
Founded in 2004 by the canton of Vaud public authorities, Biopôle SA is a private, not-for-profit organisation, which owns, manages and promotes the life sciences campus. We believe that interpersonal and inter-company relationships are the key to successful innovation. That’s why we focus on creating an environment in which you and your teams can prosper by collaborating with the Biopôle community and beyond. Biopôle is particularly active in supporting digital health. With dedicated offices and IT infrastructure (Digital Health Hub), innovation programmes (Biopôle/SHS Digital Health Vanguard Accelerator), and dedicated funding (Biopôle Fund – Digital Health track), Biopôle counts among its member more than 30 companies using digital health technologies to deploy their solution.
digitalswitzerland is a Swiss-wide, cross-industry initiative that aims to transform Switzerland into a leading digital nation. Along with our network of 170+ association members and non-political partners, including more than 1,000 top executives, we’re engaged in over 25 projects to inspire, initiate, co-create and lead digital change in Switzerland. Digital Health is a focus program of digitalswitzerland which aims to digitalise the entire healthcare system in Switzerland and make it patient-centric. We drive various activities in collaboration with the different healthcare stakeholders in the sector on topics like the electronic patient record, digital health literacy and more. digitalswitzerland also enables digital health scaleups to be positioned as thought leaders in the ecosystem through the Digital Health Academy, a 6-month cohort-based programme for scaleups which enable patients to better understand and monitor their data.
Footnotes
1) ELCA supports Tigen to accelerate cell-based cancer therapies, 2023
(digitalswitzerland, 2023)
2) The Swiss healthcare system: entering a new digital era A visualisation of the pioneering solutions that inspire a digital health ecosystem
3) Power-Launch of the Swiss Startup Association
4) private data centres that companies house in their own facilities and maintain themselves
5) cloud computing environment dedicated to a single organisation
6) cloud computing model where IT infrastructure like servers, networking, and storage resources are
offered as virtual resources accessible over the internet
7) use of cloud services from more than one cloud vendor
8) Data security is the process of protecting digital information from unauthorised access, corruption or theft throughout its entire lifecycle.
9) Data sovereignty refers to a group or individual’s right to control and maintain their own data, which includes the collection, storage, and interpretation of data.
As an Alpine country, Switzerland is particularly hard affected by the consequences of climate change. Since pre-industrial times, the average temperature in Switzerland has risen by around 2 degrees Celsius – twice as much as the global average.
As part of the international community, Switzerland has committed to reducing its emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The study “Smart and Green – Digital Pathways to Net Zero” published by digitalswitzerland and economiesuisse in cooperation with Accenture, shows how digital technologies in the buildings, transport, industry, agriculture, and energy sectors can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.This is an example sentence with a footnote reference.
The results are unambiguous: Digitalisation offers a significant contribution to the 2030 climate target. In the industries analysed, digital technologies have the potential to reduce emissions by 1.2 to 3.2 million tonnes of CO2eq. This corresponds to closing 7 to 20% of the existing climate gap (the emissions to be reduced from today until 2030).
Please find the full study in German, or check out the executive summary in English or French.
At the general assembly of digitalswitzerland it once more became clear that AI is a new and very dynamic next step in digitalisation. And the opportunities and risks involved and in particular the combination of AI with HI (Human Intelligence) make the dialogues among the members of this national initiative more important than ever.
To strategically drive this change forward, the participants of the General Assembly on 29 May elected Andreas Meyer as President. Following his time at ABB and DB, he drove forward the digitalisation of SBB in particular as CEO until 2020. As a founding member of “digitalzurich 2025” back in 2015, he worked towards expanding the initiative to encompass the whole of Switzerland. He also coordinated the Federal Council’s Digital Transformation Advisory Board for around three years. He succeeds Sascha Zahnd. As the first president after the merger of digitalswitzerland and ICTswitzerland, Zahnd led the organisation through the change with strategic impulses.
A change was also announced today with regard to the operational management. Franziska Barmettler will take up her position as the new CEO on 1 November 2024. As an economist, has been working at the interface between business, sustainability and politics for 15 years. She has shaped developments in the field of innovation and sustainability at the swisscleantech trade association, Migros and currently at IKEA. In addition to experience in association management and an understanding of future issues and change processes in the economy, she also has practical legislative experience as a politician. She succeeds Stefan Metzger. He has completed the operational integration of digitalswitzerland and ICTswitzerland, shaping the organisation over the past two years and preparing it for the future. He will remain CEO until 31 October 2024.
The exchange between business, science, government organisations and politics is at the heart of digitalswitzerland’s work. The aim is to utilise the opportunities offered by digital technologies by providing impulses and concrete contributions. In addition, the associated risks must be managed and people’s trust in the technologies must be promoted in order to transform Switzerland into a leading digital nation.
Our commitment regarding Education, Professionals & Diversity remains vital to transforming Switzerland into a leading digital nation. In 2023, we intensified our efforts to foster partnerships that enhance our educational initiatives.
Empowering Talent for the Digital Era
Since nurturing talent at every career level is an essential part to combat the ongoing shortage of skilled professionals, we have placed a strong emphasis on vocational training and development, which forms the backbone of our ICT workforce. Next to our own initiatives, our ongoing support for ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz aims to further strengthen vocational training as a primary source of skilled ICT professionals.
Fostering Innovation through Diversity
We believe diversity is a key engine of innovation. In 2023, our #herHACK initiative drew more than 450 enthusiasts across 11 events, remarkably, two-thirds of whom came from non-technical backgrounds. This initiative serves as a gateway for diverse individuals into the tech world, broadening the innovation pool and infusing the tech landscape with varied perspectives and fresh ideas.
Additionally, as a premium partner and an active member of the business advisory board for focus50plus, digitalswitzerland played an important role in advancing the platform’s mission – combating age-related stereotypes, and addressing the shortage of skilled workers through inclusive practices.
Building Digital Fluency
A cornerstone of our mission is to enhance digital skills across the board. The Boost Programme, supported by UBS, wrapped up this year, successfully equipping over 340 individuals with crucial digital competencies (you can find more in our impact report). Simultaneously, our Careers in Tech initiative aims to facilitate connections between talent seeking new opportunities and companies eager to adopt lateral hires into the tech sector. Several conducted interviews and workshops as well as the mentoring of a Bachelor’s and a Master’s thesis now form the basis for the development of a “Handbook for Companies”. The handbook is intended to support companies with advice and guidelines on the topic of lateral entry.
Swiss Digital Days 2023: Uniting Communities, Empowering Minds
Swiss Digital Days 2023 showcased the power of collaboration, bringing together digitalswitzerland, partners, cities, and cantons to amplify the digital movement nationwide. Over the course of three months, more than 140 events in 11 cities fostered connections among the population, highlighting themes of digital inclusion, AI, and future skills. The event’s Flagship formats #herHACK, NextGen, and Digital Xchange highlighted the importance of bridging the digital divide, empowering individuals from all walks of life.
Shining a light on the digital landscape
The highlight of Swiss Digital Days, the Lighthouse event at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, drew over 200 participants. With a rich program and partner activities, the event provided a networking platform and insightful pitches by key figures of the Swiss digital landscape. Highlighted by a keynote speech by a German astronaut in the planetarium, the event successfully addressed the pressing topic of artificial intelligence.
NextGen Future Skills AI Experience: Inspiring Tomorrow’s Innovators
Artificial intelligence transcends traditional learning boundaries. Over 1’000 children and young adults participated in our Future Skills AI Experience workshops to gain knowledge about AI, including its associated opportunities and risks. During the workshops, children were able to use AI to create their own images on the theme of the digital future, complementing the slogan of Swiss Digital Days 2023. The 30 most aesthetically pleasing images, as rated by the AI software Aesthetify, were exhibited and awarded prizes at the Lighthouse event.
In 2023, the Digital Health initiative strengthened its footprint and activities within Switzerland through collaboration with all healthcare stakeholders. We released the study, “A Swiss digital healthcare system: What the population thinks”, available in English, French, and German. By the end of the year, the study was viewed over 7’000 times. It spawned 2 panel discussions, caught the attention of the media and was cited in various third-party reports. Based on the results, increasing digital health literacy among the Swiss population became a key focus.
Empowering Innovation
This year, in collaboration with Swiss Healthcare Startups, digitalswitzerland launched the Digital Health Academy, connecting four innovative startups and scale-ups that empower the Swiss population to own and understand their healthcare data. Over the course of six months, participants were invited to two panel discussions, two workshops, and a bootcamp, while profiting from expertise provided by our participating members. The academy concluded with the publication of the report ”The Swiss healthcare system: entering a new digital era”, receiving over 1 ‘000 views within the first two weeks after publication.
Further, we released the Swiss Patient ecosystem map, illustrating digital solutions that improve and enhance the patient journey. At the end of 2023, the map featured 82 solutions; it is updated on a quarterly basis. Within our new “Community Talks” webinar series, we further spotlighted some of these solutions. Lastly, with the help of the Digital Health and Public Affairs committees, we actively contributed to the consultation on the Electronic Patient Record, advocating for citizen-centric healthcare solutions.
Strategic Partnerships for Ecosystem Growth
Strategic partnerships with leading organisations like Day One, Swiss Healthcare Startups, and the Swiss Health Data Space have strengthened the reach and impact of our Digital Health initiative. These partnerships help to drive us toward a more integrated, efficient, and patient-centred healthcare landscape in Switzerland.
In 2023, digitalswitzerland prioritised three key areas within infrastructure and cybersecurity: digital identity (eID), data ecosystems, and cybersecurity. These efforts are aimed towards building a stronger digital foundation for Switzerland.
Enabling a Digital Identity for Switzerland
We intensified our involvement in enabling the eID and associated trust infrastructure by collaborating with expert groups like DIDAS as well as staying in close contact with the Federal Administration’s eID team. Our proactive advocacy in legislative and technical frameworks have positioned us as a thought leader in the field. digitalswitzerland is committed to enable a digital identity and digital credentials ecosystem for Switzerland.
Facilitating Data Ecosystems in Switzerland
We have facilitated discussions on digital sovereignty, digital self-determination and the strategic use of data during crisis. We closely align our activities in this area with the Swiss Data Alliance and federal authorities. These common efforts resulted in the development of a code of conduct for trustworthy data spaces as well as collaborations with reputable international bodies such as New York’s GovLab and the International Data Space Association.
Increasing Switzerland’s Cybersecurity Resilience
Our role in increasing cybersecurity in Switzerland has expanded. We advise on foresighted policy and strategies to increase Switzerland’s cybersecurity resilience. Our national cybersecurity committee has grown to include 40 leading cybersecurity experts from a diverse set of industry sectors. digitalswitzerland co-hosted a cybersecurity seminar in Israel with the Alliance Digital Security Switzerland, thereby enabling dialogue between the Swiss and Israeli cyber ecosystems. Our cybersecurity awareness study, enabled by strong digitalswitzerland members and partners has been downloaded over 500 times and received extensive media coverage. digitalswitzerland also supported national initiatives such as the Global Cyber Conference in Zurich and promoted actionable tools such as the CyberSeal and the CyberNavi to enhance cybersecurity awareness and resilience in Switzerland.
Promoting sustainability through digital innovation was one of the core topics for digitalswitzerland in 2023, with a strong focus on biodiversity and emissions reporting.
Biodiversity Digital Academy
This year, we launched the Biodiversity Digital Academy with our startup cohort to combat one of the most pressing issues related to climate change: biodiversity loss. We selected ten leading startups from the Swiss ecosystem and paired them with experienced mentors from our network. This initiative supported and enabled the scale-up efforts of these startups.
WISER: Advancing Emissions Reporting
The team has continued to shape the Innosuisse Flagship project WISER. This collaborative project features five prestigious academic institutions and ten implementation partners from both the private and public sectors. The project’s goal is to create a unique open source digital ecosystem for accessing and verifying scope 3 emission factors and greenhouse gas (GHG) data. This initiative aims to simplify trustworthy and comparable scope 3 reporting in Switzerland. With 50% of the project completed, the WISER solution is paving the way for enhanced accessibility and accountability in environmental reporting.
Community Talks and Sustainability Lunch Bites
We hosted the first edition Sustainability Lunch Bites under the umbrella of our Community Talks webinar series, co-hosted with economiesuisse and ewz. This event provided valuable insights into recent developments in Swiss climate legislation and discussed how organisations could contribute towards achieving Swiss Climate Neutrality by 2050.
In 2023, digitalswitzerland focused on strengthening the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) community. Our flagship event took place in Bern in June, where our members discussed digital assets and the tokenization of company shares. This event filled with learnings gathered 50 participants. This event helped enhance expertise and facilitate networking within our community. Our dedicated website attracted 1,556 visits, highlighting the growing interest in DLT. Additionally, our LinkedIn group expanded to 148 members, further establishing our presence and influence in the online community.
Creating a self-sustaining community
As we move into 2024, digitalswitzerland will shift its focus towards other emerging technological themes, confident in the 4T-DLT initiative’s ability to “fly on its own”. This transition is a testament to the robust ecosystem we have nurtured, enabling the initiative to continue driving innovation independently. Revisit the initiative’s history and its milestones here.
digitalswitzerland’s Public Affairs Team initiated its 2023 agenda with a strategy workshop that defined its focus on four areas: AI, EU/Global Connectivity, eGovernment, and the Future of Work in the context of other strategic topics (see B2B).
Advancing AI and Legislative Frameworks
Activities in 2023 kicked off by supporting a postulate by Marcel Dobler, Vice President of digitalswitzerland and National Councillor, calling for the federal government to analyse Swiss law’s response to AI challenges and identify legislative gaps. This groundwork contributed to the digitalswitzerland AI discussion paper and announcement of the Swiss AI Alliance at Digital Gipfel Schweiz 2023, with preparations underway to make the Alliance operational by 2024.
Policy Engagement and New Initiatives
Across all focus areas, digitalswitzerland formed working groups to address regulatory and policy challenges through four principle-based discussion papers. These papers not only presented ideas for Switzerland’s future positioning, but also laid the groundwork for further Public Affairs activities, such as the new eGovernment programme at digitalswitzerland.
Election Year Dynamics and Broader Engagement
In 2023, federal elections were held in Switzerland. The Public Affairs team participated in policy and civil society forums, such as the Internet Governance Forum, Plateforme Tripartite and Parldigi, connecting with digitally minded parliamentarians. Three parliamentary election events held by digitalswitzerland in November addressed critical digital issues like Digital Health, Digital Sovereignty, and Cybersecurity.
Responsive and Proactive Policy Influencing
In 2023, The Public Affairs team has not only built up a proactive, forward-looking approach to digital policy, but has also been able to react to new developments in parliament in an effective, ad hoc manner. It utilised the Public Affairs Committee’s expertise to deliver policy stances on several major legislative initiatives, including the Electronic Patient Record and the new Information Security Law. In 2023, a total of nine policy statements have been submitted to the federal government and parliament, contributing to national policy discussions.
During 2023, digitalswitzerland worked diligently to expand its nationwide presence, particularly in the French and Italian-speaking regions, fostering greater engagement and outreach.
AI in Action at Locarno
In August, we hosted the “AI in Action” event at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. Attracting 80 guests, the exclusive event provided a platform for discussing the impact and potential of AI technologies in the creative and film industries, enhancing our visibility and interaction with regional stakeholders.
Digital Competitiveness Forum in Lausanne
The Digital Competitiveness Forum, held in partnership with IMD and EPFL in November, drew 100 attendees to explore the themes of AI and Switzerland’s competitiveness. The forum also marked the release of IMD’s World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2023. Alongside this, the partners issued a white paper titled “Charting the Future”. This document and the discussions at the forum contribute to shaping the strategic direction for Switzerland’s digital landscape.
We take pride in our network, which includes 170+ members and partners, along with 500+ CXOs from various sectors within the Swiss business, political, and educational ecosystem. Additionally, our VIP events have attracted 340+ guests.
Connecting and Empowering
In 2023, digitalswitzerland hosted several high-profile events that brought together leaders from across the Swiss business, political, and educational sectors, and even garnered international interest. These gatherings, such as the WEF Breakfast & Lunch, the Swiss Digital Days Lighthouse event, and the 5th Digital Gipfel Schweiz, highlighted critical topics like digital solutions for climate change, the AI revolution, the Metaverse, and innovation trends.
Enhancing Connections Through the Community Platform
This year also saw the launch of the “Community Platform,” an exclusive hub designed to enhance interactions among our members. This platform facilitates connections, collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge, providing members access to the latest research, best practices, events, and sources of inspiration.
In 2023, the Foundation worked towards fostering increased engagement from its 25+ partners within the digitalswitzerland ecosystem. This resulted in greater impact for our various private-public initiatives, underscoring the importance of bringing together diverse and complementary stakeholders from the association and the foundation. Leveraging various expertise, resources, and perspectives, we effectively addressed digital challenges and drove meaningful outcomes.
Fostering Dialogue and Addressing Public Concerns
Throughout the year, the Foundation intensified efforts to engage the public in an open dialogue about digitalisation. Through the ‘Digital Xchange’ project, we offered a platform for citizens to voice their hopes and fears regarding digital technologies. In collaboration with SRF, we organised a landmark event on Artificial Intelligence in the summer, which drew a large audience during a peak period of interest and concern about this technology. The Foundation also worked closely with the Association on several projects, including the Swiss Digital Days, where it hosted five Digital Xchange events across locations like Schwyz and Biel, capturing public feedback which helped our partners tailor their responses to the community’s needs.
Laying the groundwork for the future
Building on the ongoing efforts since 2022 towards advancing digital inclusion in Switzerland, the Foundation has been working towards the launch of the Alliance for Digital Inclusion in Switzerland, slated to happen in 2024. This new venture will foster collaboration among key stakeholders in civil society, government, and academia, focusing on e-accessibility and basic digital competences. The Alliance aims to create a cooperative space that supports Switzerland’s journey toward digital inclusivity, ensuring that digital tools and resources are accessible to all.
digitalswitzerland will focus on qualitative growth to provide substantial value to both current and prospective members. As a nation-wide initiative, strengthening our presence across the nation is paramount. Hosting four major national events is one of the measures planned for 2024: the digitalswitzerland Village in Davos, The Digital Gipfel Schweiz in Central Switzerland, engaging activities at the Locarno Film Festival, and the Digital Competitiveness Summit in Lausanne. The Swiss Digital Days movement, initiated in 2017, evolves into a self-sustaining format led by local partners, cities, and cantons, enhancing community-driven innovation. While pushing forward our current programmes and initiatives, we must also adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape. New initiatives include the official launch of the AI Alliance and a strategic partnership with the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne to make digitalisation more accessible, reinforcing Switzerland’s position as a leader in innovation and digital transformation. This approach aligns with our current strategy, aiming at impact in society in clearly defined areas of action.
The Digital Health Academy is back. In collaboration with Swiss Healthcare Startups, we relaunched our 6-month cohort based program for AI-driven digital health scaleups who enable patients to better understand and monitor their health. We are proud to announce that five scaleups will be participating in this year’s edition alongside our valued partners: ELCA, Ergon Informatik, HKT Design, IBM, MME Legal, PersonalPulse, Swiss Post and Salesforce.
The participating scaleups will benefit from:
We are very happy to give you a sneak peek of our five selected scaleups chosen for digitalswitzerland’s Digital Health Academy 2024.
AllesHealth is a comprehensive hospital and patient management solution enabling clinician efficiency, remote patient monitoring and personalised healthcare research. The holistic health management platform empowers patients to be in control of the care they receive and enables them to own their own health records.
CNS Therapy enables chronic patients to be pain-free using a neuromodulation device and behavioural therapy without medication, surgery, implants or cannabis. The solution combines physiological approach (cardiac gated stimulation) with psychological approach (eLearning-based behavioural therapy guided by biometric data) to eliminate chronic pain, restore the autonomic nervous system and increase life quality. It is low risk, non-invasive and highly successful.
Exploris Health provides impactful AI-based diagnostic and therapy solutions, which focus on significant improvement of the most challenging areas of diagnostics and therapy while reducing healthcare costs. The first product, Cardio Explorer to detect Coronary Artery Disease has already been launched (CE-marked). Further multi-marker algorithms are already in the pipeline (Heart Failure, Breast/Prostate Cancer).
Mobile Health offers a patient-centred software application which enables patients to record their well-being and symptoms as well as vital parameters and medication intake in a structured and standardised electronic way (ePROs). Patients can also automatically record their vital signs using various medical devices. The doctor receives a structured, clinical grade picture of the patient’s condition and the current and historical course of their therapy. The doctor’s decision-making is supported by AI modules.
Pathmate develops digital coaches to support people with chronic diseases and makes them accessible through its own certified coaching platform. Pathmate’s mission revolves around the fusion of medicine, behavioural psychology and data science to empower individuals on their health journey. At the heart of their solutions is a chatbot that informs, motivates and guides users to improve and take charge of their health.
Are you interested to learn more about the Digital Health Academy?
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