German hospitals with more connected information systems scored higher on a measure of digital maturity, a study of more than 1,600 institutions found. The paper appeared in the Journal of Medical Systems on August 8.
Researchers analyzed a national 2021 survey covering about 90 percent of German hospitals. They compared each hospital’s digital maturity score with the modules offered by its hospital information system and how well those modules connected to outside software. These systems support administrative and clinical workflows.
The study found positive associations between maturity scores and both the use of a broader set of modules and the integration of external tools. For example, connected systems can make information available across departments instead of requiring staff to re-enter it. The authors did not identify vendors by name.
The findings show a relationship, not proof that one software choice causes a hospital to become more digital. Hospitals also differ in size, staffing and resources. The data came from 2021, so the paper does not measure the effect of later technology purchases.
The study focuses on how hospitals organize their information systems, not on a treatment or clinical tool. It suggests that interoperability, the ability of separate systems to exchange information, is one factor linked to hospitals’ digital capacity.
