One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to digital healthcare systems is the lack of interoperability, i.e. the ability of computer systems to exchange and utilize information. AIQNET, the medical data ecosystem of a consortium that won the German government’s artificial intelligence (AI) innovation competition in 2019, is addressing this challenge so that patient care can be improved over the long term. AIQNET consists of a growing network of internationally established medical technology and health care companies. AIQNET is designed to tackle a variety of complex tasks, e.g. ensuring interoperability between existing and future healthcare standards as well as structuring and analyzing medical data using AI. It will also ensure that all relevant legal and ethical frameworks are being adhered to. The city of Leipzig is a vital hub of the nationwide network because several key partners are located there, e.g. consortium leader RAYLYTIC GmbH, the University Hospital Leipzig and the Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS).

When an ambulance is on its way to a patient, every minute counts. This is where the MOMENTUM research project comes in – because it has the potential to save lives. The project gets its name from the German for “mobile medical technology for integrated accident and emergency care”. Its goal is to develop a technology which connects the point of care and the hospital in real time using the 5G mobile network. In future, medical devices used at the scene of the accident and in the ambulance might be able not only to seamlessly communicate with one another and with the hospital. It will also be possible to instantly transmit all the patient data which has been gathered on site to the hospital, i.e. to the trauma bay, operating room or intensive care unit. Furthermore, the availability of vital clinical information throughout the entire emergency rescue process will help improve patient care. 14 partners led by Prof. Thomas Neumuth at the Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS) are involved in the project, which is receiving funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).