Good practice:

Digital innovation hub DIH.Healthday.si

R&D SMEs providing solutions for digitalisation of the Slovenian healthcare is fragmented without major impact on the strategic decision making system. To achieve higher impact an ecosystem of the Slovenian health high-tech SMEs and organisations called Digital innovation hub.Healthday.si (DIH.HealthDay.Si) was established. Its ultimate goal is to influence the digitalisation of the Slovenian healthcare system. The founding partners are the Slovenian leading digital health solution providers. In the last 5 years it has connected all relevant stakeholders in the Slovenian healthcare system, consisting today of more than 30 partners from different backgrounds and sectors: healthcare solution providing industry, healthcare institutions, patient alliances and individual end-users, universities, insurance companies (private&public), private investors, businesses, and media. DIH.Healthday.si is to support the members, predominantly start-up SMEs, to enter the national and international healthcare markets. It is also to support the local health and social care communities to implement digital solutions. DIH.Healthday.si does it by networking, distribution of relevant information, exchange of experiences, education of people in companies on international business development and certification processes, so helping the members to reach their professional goals. It introduces supportive initiatives for SMEs(e.g.5D2020) and forms bodies (e.g.Think-Tank) that steer the development.

Mix of public and private funds used. Minimal financial resources needed are 50 k/year without staff costs. Staff required: 2 persons running the ecosystem.

-A community of 800+ dynamic individuals from ICT sector
-5 annual conferences organised with international speakers and 15 networking events with over 800 attendees
-15 start-ups linked with potential strategic partners and investors
-Think-Tank connecting key national stakeholders in healthcare and “Partnership for innovation in healthcare” established
-2 editions of the Green Book issued
-2 support programmes for SMEs created tackling challenges in a process »From innovation to a patient

- Getting senior people with proven business success to become members of the Think Tank
- Indicating type of support that young SMEs in the ecosystem miss and provide a tangible support actions
- Being adaptive and respond quickly and effectively to the indicated needs of the ecosystem members

The DIH.HealthDay.Si community is open to all regional and partners in Europe. In Slovenia it has attracted companies, mostly start-up in healthcare sector, that the conventional medical informatics societies have been unable. It is mostly due to implementation of new communication means and innovative approaches. Additionally, it seeks international alliances. It is a partner of the Health 2.0 and the European ECHAlliance. Through the membership in them it opens doors to international cooperation for many of its members. DIH.Healthday.si has set-up a support programme for SMEs tackling challenges in the process »From innovation to the patient«. It consists of peer2peer meetings with the Think-Tank members, monthly specialised workshops, presentation of innovations & companies to insurance companies etc. Another programme, coded as 5D2020, has ambitious goal that by 2020 five digital solutions will be introduced to the list of paid services at the Health Insurance Fund of Slovenia.