Digital healthcare in Spain

Key figures

47M

inhabitants

17

autonomous communities (CCAA)

9.1% of GDP

for the 2019 healthcare budget

A decentralized healthcare system built around CCAAs

The 17 Autonomous Communities are competent to issue standards within the framework established by national health system regulations. They decide on funding to complement that of the state, on local public health policies, on the organization of the regional health system, on accreditation and system planning, and on the purchase and provision of services.The state and the regions coordinate their activities within an inter-territorial council that brings together the Minister of Health and the health advisors of all the autonomous communities to decide together on common strategies and guidelines.

Spain's public healthcare system follows the model of anational healthcare system, financed entirely by taxes and with care coverage for the population. Within total healthcare expenditure, 73.51% corresponds to public expenditure and 26.48% to private healthcare expenditure.

The French government has increased the resources devoted to digital healthcare

  • The Ministry of Health created in 2020a General Secretariat for esanté, information and innovation
  • The State adopted in December 2021 a national strategy in digital health. It envisages public-private cooperation to carry out initiatives of particular interest to the national system

In parallel, CCAAs are also driving public policies and initiatives affecting healthcare innovation at local level. Catalonia and the Barcelona metropolis are the most dynamic for digital healthcare.

How do you access the Spanish market?

1. The 8 medical technology assessment agencies, responsible for evaluating new healthcare technologies.

These assessments are pooled at the level of the network of these agencies, named RedETS. These agencies are:

2. Governments of the 17 autonomous communities

CCAAs manage their own healthcare budgets and issue calls for tender for their care centers. They can base their decisions on certifications from medical technology assessment agencies.The IT and/or innovation departments are their points of contact.
In addition, CCAAs often have their own healthcare innovation hubs. These bring together local ecosystems and make facilities available to innovation initiatives.

3. Hospital supply

Hospitals supply their own medical devices.They have a budget, in which public subsidies have a pre-eminent share, which enables them to choose their own devices. They are a third gateway to the Spanish marketfor the release of a digital health device or product. More than half the hospitals in Spain are private. This system is supplied independently of the public system.

4. Spain Up Nation

Spain has developed a strategy for an entrepreneurial nation to generate a new economic and social model, on three interconnected levels: innovative entrepreneurship, driving sectors of the Spanish economy, reducing social gaps.
This program is developed in partnership with the platforms ENISA, for the financing of innovative companies and its digital business section, RED.ES for the promotion of the digital agenda in Spain and particularly for health and social services, and finally ICEX for the internationalization of companies.

5. The General Secretariat for e-health, information and innovation in the national healthcare system

The Secretaría General de Salud Digital, Información e Innovación del Sistema Nacional de Salud is responsible for handling projects to modernize, innovate, improve and transform the national healthcare system, particularly those related to digital health and information systems. Together with the autonomous communities, it coordinates the execution andoversight of the digital health strategy for the NHS through the Digital Health Commission.

Government authorities and platforms

Guarantors of smooth functioning and cooperation in the healthcare system

Regional health authorities of CCAAs Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System (ICNHS) Fenin: the Spanish federation of health technology companies The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Policy AEMPS: the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products RedETS: the Spanish network of health technology assessment agencies

Support and innovation initiatives

They bring together and facilitate the incubation of new technologies

.
Barcelona Health Digital Hub Gaia-X : the spanish hub dedicated to data economy

Training

Universities and their groups that train and support digital health innovations

Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM) : These universities are associated to Madrid Scientific Park, dedicated to scientific innovation and developing a professional network in this domain. Universidad San Pablo de Madrid (CEU) : This university has several research groups for digital health as well as online training on this subject. Universitad de Sevilla (US) : This university created CITIUS, a research center for technology and innovation, offering an experimentation unit, support and contact with companies. Universidad de Granada (UGR) : This university has an scientific instrumentation center dedicated to the digitalisation of medical imaging. Universitat de Valencia (UV) : This university dedicated a unit to health and collaboration between researchers, professors, businesses to promote innovation. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) : This university has its own research park and offers start-up creation and development processes, to enhance the link between research and competitivity. Universitat de Barcelona (UB) : Linked to 5 university hospitals and 12 other associated hospitals, this university is rich in resources for digital health such as a scientific and technologic center, with a unit specialized in health and pharmaceutical i