Bulgarian digital health ecosystem brings solutions and innovation

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria was presented at WEBIT.HEALTH SUMMIT 2019

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria works for a sustainable and efficient healthcare, based on data, technology and innovation. This became clear at the biggest digital event in Bulgaria, Webit Festival 2019, which this year gathered over 15,000 people from different areas like technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, policy, marketing, business, and science. Digital Health and Innovation Cluster BULGARIA was presented at WEBIT.HEALTH SUMMIT 2019 as a result of continuous efforts in the last 3 years including the important panel discussion at the same forum last year. The Cluster aims to build a digital health ecosystem in the country, open to private entrepreneurs and organizations, which will add value to the medical processes in the sector through their expertise. “This leads to sustainability and efficiency in the healthcare sector and benefits all stakeholders,” said Prof. Dr. Ivo Petrov, who has been a supporter of the project since its beginning.

“Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria could create an environment for informed decisions and policies in healthcare based on data and technology putting the patient in the center of the process,” said Dr. Rosen Dimitrov, Public Affairs Manager at Novartis Bulgaria and Board Member of the Cluster.

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria is a nonprofit organization that supports companies and organizations in the field of digital health and innovative healthcare solutions to build an ecosystem in healthcare and boost sustainability and efficiency in the system for patients, HCPs, entrepreneurs, society, institutions. It was founded by 9 companies and 2 nonprofit organizations in November 2018.

“An effective and predictable healthcare system requires the collective efforts of institutions, organizations, patients and businesses to follow up and develop the processes for better access to quality healthcare services with measurable outcome for the patients,” said Dr. Stanimir Hassardjiev, President of the National Patient Organization and Board Member of the Cluster. “Digital health and data solutions will create conditions for adding value and increasing the efficiency of the sector. It could have a huge positive impact on patients’ care and outcomes,” added Dr. Hassardjiev.

According to Prof. Dr. Ivo Petrov, there is still a lot of work to be done to make key stakeholders understand the important role of the digital health solutions in the sector. “Cardiology is one of the few medical specialties moving fast into the right digital direction,” added Prof. Petrov.

“Digital transformation of healthcare is needed in order to improve and optimize the processes in the system. The only way to accelerate that transformation is to create an ecosystem in healthcare that is open for private entrepreneurs and organizations able to provide the tools that create value impact out the vast technological and data resources. Collaboration is a key success factor that could facilitate the introduction of more and more digital health solutions for the benefit of patients and healthcare professionals with measurable positive effect on the system,” discussed members of the Cluster.