Horváth: At least EUR 500 million in annual savings – among the benefits of healthcare digitalization for Romania, inspired by European models

Romania is facing a historic opportunity to fundamentally transform its healthcare system through digitalization, if it manages to capitalize on the lessons already learned by other EU states and the European funds it can access, believe representatives of Horváth, an international management consulting company, present on the Romanian market since 2005.

Estonia, a leader in the digital transformation of healthcare at the European Union level, has digitized 99% of medical prescriptions and achieved annual savings estimated at 500 million euros, thanks to interoperability and rapid access to centralized medical data. If Estonia, a country with a population 14 times smaller than Romania’s (1.37 million inhabitants), managed to achieve such a performance, the amount saved would be at least similar in the case of our country, which has a population of 19.06 million.

Other examples of good practices are provided by Denmark, which reduced administrative costs by 12% and managed to integrate over 90% of patients into a national interoperable system, as well as Austria, a country where, with Horváth’s support, the ELGA system (Elektronische Gesundheitsakte, i.e. Electronic Health Record) was put into operation, which improved the efficiency of public hospitals by over 20%.

Although there are significant gaps compared to other EU countries, Romania has also started important steps in this direction, an example of this being the approval of a Government memorandum, from October 2024, on the operationalization of fully intelligent hospitals in Romania. The first such SMART HOSPITAL will be the “George Emil Palade” Hospital, a public health unit subordinated to the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Târgu Mureș.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) plans to expand the Electronic Health Record, create the National Health Portal with integrated scheduling functions and access to medical history, and operationalize the National Observatory for Health Data. Implemented coherently, these initiatives can reduce administrative costs by up to 15% and significantly improve patients’ access to quality services.

Emerging technologies can amplify these advances. Artificial intelligence could reduce diagnostic errors by 20–30% and shorten the processing time of medical images by up to 40%, giving doctors more time to care for patients. Blockchain guarantees traceability and security for the medical data of over 90% of patients, and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) – with a global market estimated at $260 billion by 2027 – opens up enormous opportunities for remote monitoring and preventive interventions. Big Data analysis could shorten diagnostic times by 25%, and augmented and virtual reality are already being applied in the training of medical staff and the planning of complex interventions.

“Successful models from countries such as Estonia, Denmark or Austria show us that digitalization is not just about technology, but also about tangible savings, freed up resources and a higher level of trust for patients and medical staff. Romania has substantial European funds at its disposal and can make a significant leap if it mobilizes all its resources to accelerate implementation. We are ready to support these projects with know-how, experience and already tested methodologies”, says Maria Boldor, Partner and Managing Director, Horváth Romania.

With over 50 eHealth projects implemented internationally, Horváth can be a key partner for Romanian authorities and hospitals in attracting European funds, creating modern IT architectures and building scalable solutions, with real impact on the quality of medical care and the financial sustainability of the system.

“Digital transformation in healthcare is not a luxury, but a strategic necessity for a sustainable and efficient medical system. Moreover, in a period of austerity, when the budget deficit needs to be reduced, the digitalization of medical services can bring substantial savings,” concludes Maria Boldor.