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Practical example and current challenges

  • The collection of health data is subject to a fundamental paradigm change: In addition to the usual data collection by doctors and clinics, which tends to be occasion-based, data can now also be continuously collected and evaluated via patient "smart wearables".
  • On the basis of these large, meaningful amounts of data, AI algorithms can be excellently developed and refined in order to be able to detect critical situations, for example in heart attack patients, earlier than before.
  • This sometimes requires hundreds of thousands of learning data sets of tested quality. So far, Germany has not yet succeeded in bringing together a sufficient amount of data from different sources (e.g. hospitals, doctors' practices, wearables) to achieve a critical mass for the applications described.
  • Only the networking of the data areas enables integrative analysis. The clinician and practice doctor can access the evaluations, the patient can access his own health data and analysis results.
  • For particularly sensitive data, data storage and processing must take place in Germany or the EU – in some cases even with European providers.

Smart Health Connect

What added value does the "GAIA-X project" offer?

  • The project creates the basis for the development and use of standardised interfaces and suitable semantics in order to link and evaluate data from as many actors as possible in a targeted manner.
  • Strict and binding data classifications as well as centralised reviews of ecosystem participants facilitate a DSGVO-compliant use of data in the health system. The standards of the networked data infrastructure can act as an anchor of trust.
  • In addition, the federated approach to networked data infrastructure supports the healthcare sector's particular need for connected edge/ cloud solutions: Sensitive data provided by a smart wearable must be able to be aggregated and evaluated for data protection reasons, for example in the hospital (Edge). On the other hand, it should be possible to combine the evalu-ation results in the cloud without having to share certain data.
  • The integration of trustworthy cloud storage in Germany or the EU as GAIA-X nodes allows the storage of correspondingly sensitive data.
  • The openness and the resulting flexibility of the project enable the connection of existing (data) platforms to further research and health domains and international initiatives.

Use Case Team

  • Christian Lawerenz – Berlin Institute of Health and Charité – University Medicine Berlin
  • Prof. Dr. Roland Eils – Berlin Institute of Health and Charité – University Medicine Berlin