Healthcare organizations in Germany are using new digital technologies to enhance their existing capabilities for improving care and patient experience, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Healthcare Digital Services report for Germany finds that the country’s healthcare market, the second largest in the world, is undergoing significant changes that include mandatory adoption of electronic medical records and a recently passed law, the Future of Hospitals Act (KHZG), that provides funds for digitalization of hospitals.

“New technology is a major driving force for improvements in German healthcare,” said Andreas Fahr, partner and managing director, ISG DACH. “Service providers have the power to help companies modernize in many areas.”

Healthcare providers are still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic while also facing growing customer expectations for convenient services, transparency about data exchange and easy access to and control of personal records. Companies need to meet these demands while reducing costs and serving the needs of an aging population, all in the midst of an increasing shortage of qualified personnel, ISG says.

An expanding array of state and federal regulations accelerate the need for digitalization. New directives aimed at ensuring patients’ personal data is not misused have imposed strict limits on healthcare providers and insurance organizations. One technical challenge caused by regulation is that few providers have state-certified cloud solutions for the handling of patient data, the report says.

The IT skills shortage is a continuing challenge for organizations looking to adopt new applications, so many IT departments are focusing mainly on ensuring smooth and cost-effective operations while introducing needed tools for security, communication and patient services, ISG says. However, with help from service providers, companies are planning digital transformations at a strategic level and implementing them over time.

The key technology developments that will help the German healthcare industry advance include machine learning, AI, IoT and network infrastructure using new capabilities such as 5G, ISG says.

“Predictive models enabled by AI can improve patient care with earlier detection of disease,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “IoT is already integral to data collection and likely to keep expanding in the years to come.”

The report also explores other technology trends affecting healthcare in Germany, including the drive among providers for decarbonization and the relative shortage of technology providers specializing in healthcare compared with those supporting other German industries.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Healthcare Digital Services report for Germany evaluates the capabilities of 32 providers across two quadrants: Payer Digital Transformation Services and Provider Digital Transformation Services.

The report names Accenture, Atos, CANCOM, Deutsche Telekom/T-Systems and IBM as Leaders in both quadrants. It names Capgemini and DXC Technology as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, Arvato Systems, Deloitte and TCS are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

Customized versions of the report are available from Deutsche Telekom/T-Systems and CANCOM.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Healthcare Digital Services report for Germany is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 800 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.