WHO and Denmark Join Forces to Advance Digital Health Across Europe with Promising Economic Impacts for Germany

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe and Healthcare Denmark have formalized a collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen digital health, health data, artificial intelligence (AI), and healthcare innovation efforts across 53 European countries. This partnership, effective until June 30, 2031, aims to share global expertise and promote evidence-based health technologies tailored to diverse national needs, aligning with WHO's 2023-2030 digital health action plan.

Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, highlighted Denmark’s exemplary health system, which enables secure data exchange between patients, doctors, and researchers and leverages AI to support clinicians rather than replace them. By learning from Denmark's experience, other European countries can accelerate their digital transformation without facing the same challenges.

Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Chairman of Healthcare Denmark, emphasized the importance of trust, leadership, and cross-border collaboration in driving digital health innovations. Healthcare Denmark will facilitate knowledge exchange through webinars, delegations, and roundtables, connecting European health systems with Danish best practices.

Concurrently, a recent Prognos study focusing on Germany underscores the critical role of healthcare innovation in economic stability. The report warns that without embracing innovations such as outpatient care expansion, telemedicine, AI diagnostics, and novel therapies, Germany’s statutory health insurance (GKV) contribution rates could exceed 20% in the long term. Exploitation of efficiency potentials through these innovations could save over 20 billion euros annually and contribute an economic benefit exceeding 40 billion euros due to reduced sick days and longer working lives.

The study calls for increased investments, supportive regulations, and sustained implementation of innovation and digitalization to secure these gains. Together with the WHO-Denmark collaboration, these developments highlight a strategic push in Europe—particularly Germany—to harness digital health's transformative potential for better care and stronger economies.