Connected Health Ecosystems via Open Innovation (COHES.io) – A New Era of Health Innovation digital

Publication date: March 31, 2025

The healthcare sector is one of the most challenging areas of innovation, characterized by high complexity, strict regulations, high development costs and cultural diversity in different countries. Despite technological progress, fragmentation of innovation ecosystems in digital health is a significant barrier to effective cooperation and implementation of new solutions. The COHES.io project (Connected Health Ecosystems via Open Innovation), which aims to create an interregional space for open innovation in digital health, is the response to these challenges.

Goals and Key Challenges

The COHES.io project was created to address a number of issues in digital health, such as:

• Fragmentation of digital health ecosystems, hindering the effective exchange of knowledge and experiences,
• Limited stakeholder involvement in validation and testing of innovative solutions,
• Difficulties in transferring best practices between regions and adapting to local conditions,
• Data harmonization and interoperability issues,
• Lack of involvement of healthcare entities in innovation processes.

In response to these challenges, COHES.io focuses on:

• Increasing collaboration within digital health ecosystems,
• Lifting efficiency support innovation,
• Increasing diversity and inclusiveness in innovation processes,
• Promoting and spreading best practices across Europe.

How does COHES.io work?

COHES.io adopts an open innovation approach, engaging a broad range of stakeholders, including:

• Policy makers who shape the regulatory framework for health innovations,
• Pharmaceutical companies and startups introducing new technologies to the market,
• Hospitals, universities and patient rights organizations testing and implementing innovations in practice.

The cooperation is based on digital tools and initiatives such as virtual Living Labs, enabling testing and validation of solutions in real clinical settings.

COHES.io project is a step towards modern, open innovation in digital health. Thanks to international cooperation and the involvement of key stakeholders, it is possible to improve the processes of implementing new technologies and their adaptation to the needs of patients and healthcare systems.

Thanks to the support of Living Labs, collaborative platforms and educational programs, COHES.io is building the future of the European digital health ecosystem, laying the foundations for more efficient and integrated healthcare.

Digital technologies are revolutionizing many aspects of our lives, and the healthcare sector is no exception. However, the development of new technologies in this field faces many challenges. The most important ones include high costs of innovation development, stringent quality standards, and complex regulatory regulations. To meet these challenges, the open innovation model is increasingly being used, which promotes cooperation and knowledge exchange between various stakeholders in the healthcare sector. This approach allows for faster development of innovations and their implementation on a wider scale. One of the projects that illustrates the effectiveness of this methodology is COHES.io.

COHES.io – Digital Health Open Innovation Initiative

COHES.io is a project that leads the adoption of open innovation in the context of digital health, connecting three key regions in Europe: Norte (Portugal), Małopolska (Poland) and Attika (Greece). This initiative focuses on cooperation between stakeholders to improve innovation processes, facilitate the exchange of best practices and jointly identify and implement key projects. In this model, where public authorities play an active role, COHES.io aims to improve the quality of healthcare and promote sustainable development in the area of digital technologies.

Within COHES.io, TUD plays an important role, organizing collaborative processes by mapping common challenges, identifying synergies and developing interventions that drive project development. Through these activities, it is possible to stimulate innovation, which is crucial in striving for breakthrough changes in healthcare.

Investing in Sustainable Digital Health

The COHES.io project not only focuses on the creation of innovative solutions, but also on their broad implementation and dissemination at European level. INN, as an integral part of the EIT Health network, is responsible for the distribution of the project results, ensuring that COHES.io achievements have an impact on diverse ecosystems across Europe. The scale of the project allows its results to cross the borders of the regions where they were initially implemented, offering benefits and innovations at European level.

The Open Innovation Landscape in Digital Health

Open innovation is an approach that crosses traditional organizational boundaries by engaging external stakeholders in the innovation process. In this model, organizations leverage knowledge, resources, and ideas that come from outside their structures, thereby creating a more dynamic and diverse innovation environment. Open innovation, initially conceptualized by Henry Chesbrough in 2003, shifts the paradigm of innovation from a closed, internal process to a more open, collaborative process with a variety of partners, including other companies, organizations, and even competitors.

The contemporary approach to open innovation includes a range of practices, such as collaborative research and development (R&D), technology licensing, co-creation with customers, strategic partnerships, and open innovation platforms. All of this fosters a culture of openness, transparency, and inclusiveness in which organizations can leverage a variety of external competencies and resources, enabling faster development of new products, services, and technologies.

In the definition of open innovation, Henry Chesbrough emphasizes that organizations should use both external and internal ideas and paths to market to accelerate technology development. In practice, this means that ideas can come from many sources, not only from within the company but also from external partners, which allows for faster transformation of ideas into marketable products and services.

The benefits of open innovation

Open innovation has many advantages, especially in the context of digital health. Thanks ago approach organizations they can:

1. Accelerate the speed of innovation to market – Collaborating with diverse partners accelerates the innovation process, enabling you to quickly transform ideas into real solutions.
2. Reduce research and development (R&D) costs – by exchanging knowledge and resources with other organizations, companies can use ready-made solutions instead of creating them from scratch, which reduces R&D costs.
3. Minimize risk – engaging external stakeholders in the innovation process reduces risk by allowing ideas to be tested in different conditions before being introduced to the market.
4. Leverage common knowledge – collecting ideas from a variety of sources, including customers and partners, can lead to more groundbreaking solutions because they incorporate different perspectives and experiences.

Open Innovation in Digital Health

Digital health, encompassing technologies such as telemedicine, wearables , artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and robotics, is becoming one of the most dynamic areas where open innovation plays a key role. Innovations in this sector aim not only to improve patient outcomes, but also to optimize medical processes, reduce healthcare costs, and increase the availability of healthcare services.

Embracing open innovation in digital health enables:

1. Collaboratively creating solutions – creating platforms that connect healthcare providers, technology companies, startups, scientists, and patients fosters the creation of innovative solutions that meet real user needs.
2. Better tailoring solutions to patient needs – engaging patients and their caregivers in the innovation process allows for the creation of products that meet their needs and preferences, which increases their effectiveness.
3. Increased accessibility and integration of technologies – open collaboration innovations enable faster implementation of new technologies in healthcare systems, as well as their easier integration with existing medical systems.
4. Increased flexibility in the face of changing needs – open innovation in digital health enables faster adaptation to changing market needs and new health challenges, such as an ageing population or growing demand for remote services.

Examples of Open Innovation in Digital Health

Many digital health projects use the open innovation model. Examples include:

1. Collaboration platforms – initiatives that bring together healthcare providers, technology companies, startups, NGOs and patients to jointly develop new technologies such as health monitoring apps, medical devices or medical data analysis systems.
2. Research and development projects – cooperation between universities, technology companies and healthcare organizations to develop new solutions, such as artificial intelligence supporting medical diagnostics or personalized therapies.
3. Innovations in healthcare models – development of new care models, such as telemedicine, remote care or data-driven care models, which are becoming more accessible and effective thanks to international cooperation and open ecosystems.

Digital Health Concept

Digital health is a rapidly evolving field that combines technology with healthcare, fundamentally changing the way healthcare services are delivered and managed. Using digital technologies such as mobile devices, wearables , telemedicine, and health information systems, digital health aims to improve health outcomes, quality of healthcare services, and empower patients to actively manage their health.

Aspects of digital health

Digital health encompasses a broad range of technologies and services that support health management and improve the efficiency of care. Key elements of digital health include:

1. mHealth apps and wearables – enable users to monitor health parameters, track health goals, and manage chronic conditions.
2. Telemedicine platforms – provide remote consultations and treatment, eliminating geographical barriers and improving access to care, especially in regions with limited access to medicine.
3. Electronic health records (EHR) – enable the digitization of patient data, improving care coordination and reducing the risk of medical errors.
4. Health Information Systems and Interoperability – enable seamless exchange of data between different healthcare IT systems, supporting the integration of public health services and initiatives.

Digital Health in the European Union

Digital health is gaining importance in the EU, driven by changing demographics and rising healthcare costs. Initiatives such as the development of telemedicine and the Horizon Europe programme, which supports research and innovation in this area, are accelerating the integration of technology into healthcare systems. However, challenges remain, such as privacy and data security, interoperability barriers, and inequalities in access to technology and digital skills.

Global Technology Trends in Digital Health

Digital health is revolutionizing the way healthcare is delivered, patients are engaged, and research is conducted. Six key technology drives these innovations:

1. Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) – These technologies support diagnosis, treatment planning and the development of personalized medicine, e.g. through algorithms that analyze medical images.
2. Remote monitoring and telemedicine – Enables remote patient tracking and delivery of care outside of medical facilities, improving access and reducing the cost of care.
3. Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) – Used in medical education and patient therapy, e.g. in surgery or therapy of mental disorders.
4. Wearable devices and sensor technologies – Monitor health parameters in real time, enabling proactive and personalized care.
5. 3D printing – It has potential in transplantology, enabling the printing of organs on demand, which could solve the problem of the transplant shortage.
6. Blockchain – Increases the security and interoperability of healthcare data, enabling better information sharing and protecting patient privacy.

Open Innovation in Digital Health in Europe

Open innovation in digital health in Europe promotes collaboration between different stakeholders. Key aspects are:

1. Ecosystem collaboration – Integration of healthcare providers, technology companies, start- ups and research institutions to create comprehensive solutions. An example is the Health Village platform in Finland.
2. Academic-industry partnerships – Collaborations between universities and companies bring innovations, such as remote monitoring systems for chronic diseases in Denmark.
3. “Patient -centric” open innovation – Involving patients in the process of creating health technologies, as in Ireland under eHealth Ireland Ecosystem.
4. Testing environments – Testing new technologies in real clinical settings, as in Denmark and Belgium, which speeds up their implementation.

Digital Health in the European Union

Digital health in the EU is becoming a key element in the transformation of healthcare systems. Initiatives such as telemedicine and Horizon Europe support the development of health technologies. Challenges include privacy protection, interoperability of systems and accessibility of technologies . However, with international cooperation, digital health has huge potential to change the future of healthcare across the continent.

Digital Health Concept

Digital health is an interdisciplinary field that combines healthcare with modern technologies, creating a new model of healthcare service delivery. Activities in this area focus on the use of digital tools and technological solutions that support the efficiency, accessibility and quality of healthcare services. Key technologies include telemedicine, mobile applications (mHealth), wearable devices, and health information systems such as electronic health records (EHR). The goal is to create more personalized care that is available at any time and in any place, allowing patients to proactively manage their health.

In the context of the European Union, the introduction of digital technologies in healthcare is facing a number of challenges, such as legal regulations, fragmentation of information systems and differences in the level of digital skills. In response to these problems, the EU is taking numerous initiatives to promote interoperability, harmonise regulations and ensure safe and universal access to digital solutions in healthcare. These initiatives include research and innovation programmes such as Horizon Europe, which funds projects on digital health and supports international cooperation.

Open Innovation Initiatives Led by EIT Health

EIT Health is a key player in developing the digital health ecosystem in Europe. The organisation supports start- ups and innovators by offering them access to a wide support network, including incubators, funding, mentoring and educational programmes. Digital health incubators such as “YES!Delft” in the Netherlands are an ideal environment for young companies that want to introduce innovative solutions to the digital health market. “YES!Delft” offers specialist services such as assistance in obtaining financing, access to health experts and industrial partners, which significantly accelerates the development of new technologies.

Also Health Axis Europe organizes innovation challenges that promote cross-border collaboration, connecting partners from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. These events enable startups to network with other companies, research institutions and health organizations, creating platforms for developing new digital health solutions. Another example is KI Innovations , run by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, which supports healthcare innovation by offering mentoring, funding and organizing networking events , enabling companies to quickly implement research results into clinical practice.

Key Challenges for Open Innovation in Digital Health

Despite its enormous potential, open innovation in digital health faces numerous barriers that may slow down its development. One of the main challenges is the harmonization of regulations in the European Union. Differences in data protection regulations, medical device regulations, telemedicine and interoperability of health systems hinder the effective implementation of innovations across the EU. The solution may be the creation of common European standards and procedures for approving technologies, which will enable their wider use in different countries.

Another significant challenge is data security and protection of patient privacy . Processing sensitive health data, especially in the context of new digital technologies, requires ensuring appropriate protection measures to avoid privacy breaches. Data protection systems must comply with the strict provisions of the GDPR and other international standards, which requires constant monitoring and updating.

Integrating new technologies into existing healthcare systems is also a major challenge. Traditional systems are often complex and not adapted to integration with modern digital solutions, which can cause delays in implementing innovations. To effectively overcome this barrier, the technology must be adapted to the existing infrastructure and meet the specific requirements of users in hospitals and clinics.

digital health innovations also remains a key challenge. The high costs associated with developing new technologies and the difficulty of obtaining funds for their commercialization can discourage investors. Financing models such as public-private partnerships, venture capital funds , and research grants can be a solution that will allow for accelerating the development of start- ups and the implementation of digital health innovations.

Summary

The concept of digital health is revolutionizing the way healthcare services are delivered and managed, offering new opportunities to improve the quality, accessibility and efficiency of healthcare. Initiatives such as those led by EIT Health are key to supporting innovation in this area, enabling young companies and start- ups to implement modern technologies. However, to fully exploit the potential of digital health in Europe, it is necessary to overcome the challenges of regulatory harmonization, data security, integration of new technologies and ensuring adequate financing. Through cooperation, innovative approaches and continuous development, it will be possible to create a healthcare system that is more effective, safe and accessible to all EU citizens.