Horváth: Only 30% of public hospitals in Romania apply for European funds dedicated to digitalization

• Only 30% of public hospitals have applied for digitalization projects financed through the PNRR.

• Over 40% of medical units do not have adequate IT infrastructure.

• Automation and artificial intelligence can reduce administrative time by up to 50% and increase the accuracy of diagnoses by up to 30%.

Although the digitalization of the healthcare system is a declared priority, the reality in public hospitals in Romania shows that only a small part of them access the available European funds. According to an analysis conducted by Horváth, an international management consulting company, only 30% of public hospitals have submitted projects for digitalization through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), while over 40% do not have adequate IT infrastructure.

In Romania, the public and private healthcare systems are evolving at different rates in terms of digitalization. Private hospitals and clinics are rapidly implementing modern solutions, while the public sector faces significant challenges in the digital transition. Currently, the Electronic Health Record (DES) is active for approximately 17 million patients, but only 30% of doctors working in the public healthcare system use it consistently. In comparison, over 70% of top private hospitals and clinics in Romania have already implemented digital platforms, telemedicine solutions and modern patient management systems.

One of the main barriers is the lack of infrastructure: over 40% of public hospitals do not have adequate IT equipment or systems. In addition, the limited digital skills of medical staff constitute a major challenge, with Romania ranking below the European average in the 2023 DESI (Digital Economy and Society Index) ranking.

Through the PNRR, Romania benefits from over 2.4 billion euros for the reform of the healthcare system, of which a significant amount is earmarked for digitalization. However, only a third of public hospitals have applied for these funds. The main obstacles identified are: bureaucracy; lack of specialized staff; and difficulties in developing eligible projects.

“There is funding, tested technologies and international examples of good practice. What is often missing is the ability to integrate all of this into a coherent and sustainable project. This is where we can contribute directly – with expertise, methodology and solutions adapted to the Romanian context. We are not just talking about implementing technologies, but about achieving concrete results: reducing administrative costs and improving the patient experience,” says Maria Boldor, Partner and Managing Director, Horváth Romania.

According to Horváth specialists, the benefits of digitalization are quantifiable:

• Process automation (RPA) can reduce the time allocated to administrative activities by up to 50%;

• Artificial intelligence applications can improve the accuracy of diagnoses by 20–30% and reduce the processing time of medical images by up to 40%;

• Telemedicine can reduce the number of unnecessary physical visits by up to 25%.

With extensive international experience in eHealth and digital transformation projects, Horváth offers complete expertise in attracting European funds, defining high-performance IT architectures and implementing scalable digital solutions – with real impact on hospital efficiency and quality of patient services.

“We already have solid results in the digitalization of medical systems in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Romania can accelerate this process through a smart partnership between authorities, hospitals and consultants with applied know-how. It is time to move from intentions to implementation,” adds Horváth representative.

About Horváth

Horváth is one of the most important international, independent management consulting companies, present on the Romanian market since 2005. The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1981 by Prof. Dr. Péter Horváth, one of the pioneers of Controlling in Germany and has over 1,400 employees. Horváth has offices in Germany (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart), Austria, Romania, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Denmark, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but the company’s consultants are available to clients globally. Horváth is a member of Cordence Worldwide, the world’s leading active alliance of prestigious management consulting companies, with almost 70 offices in 24 countries, located on three continents.