Challenges
Germany’s healthcare system faced pressure to digitize, yet progress was slowed by fragmented infrastructure, strict data governance rules, and uneven adoption of AI and telemedicine. Policymakers risked falling behind global leaders, leaving patients and providers without access to the latest digital innovations. For Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), the challenge was the knowledge gap such as limited first-hand understanding of how large-scale digital health ecosystems (like China’s) functioned in practice, from governance to hospital integration. Also there was policy lag without exposure to international best practices, Germany’s digital-health strategy risked being reactive, leaving healthcare providers struggling to implement innovations and patients waiting longer for access to digital care solutions. Ultimately, both patients and healthcare systems were affected: Germany by its slow rollout of digital health, and China by needing credible partners to validate international collaboration. The priority was to bridge knowledge and policy gaps to ensure Germany’s e-health reforms were grounded in global realities and responsive to rapid technological change.
Approach
To strengthen cross-border cooperation in digital health, SILREAL designed and delivered a comprehensive delegation program for the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). By combining policy analysis, stakeholder mapping, and tailored program design, we created an 5-day, multi-city agenda that facilitated high-level exchanges with over 70 stakeholders.
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Scoping & Stakeholder Mapping: Analysed BMG’s policy priorities (digital governance, reimbursement, AI safety, EU-China healthcare regulation). Mapped 70+ high-value Chinese stakeholders and top hospitals across Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
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Program Design & Logistics: Developed an 5-day, 3-city (Beijing, Shanghai andShenzhen) agenda with site visits to leading hospitals, health-tech hubs, and closed-door policy roundtables. Managed all logistics: visas, high-speed rail, on-site interpretation, and risk-mitigated travel planning.
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Bilateral Dialogue & Knowledge Transfer: Facilitated panel discussions between BMG leaders and Chinese counterparts on digital health policy consulting, reimbursement pathways, and health data governance. Produced bilingual policy briefing packs and post-trip action frameworks to sustain collaboration beyond the delegation.
Result
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Shaping Digital Health Policy Dialogue: Established direct communication channels between the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) and Chinese regulators, focused on AI in diagnostics, telemedicine platforms, and digital reimbursement models. These discussions have since contributed to ongoing Germany–China policy exchanges in healthcare digitalisation.
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High-Level Stakeholder Engagement: Connected 70+ leading stakeholders from government bodies, hospitals, technology companies, and research institutions. This diverse engagement ensured a unique perspective on how China is scaling its digital health ecosystem. Promoted bilateral partnerships with 16 organizations​.
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Knowledge Transfer & Strategic Insights: Provided participants with bilingual policy briefs, briefing packs, and post-trip action plans, enabling Germany’s health leaders to directly apply lessons from China’s digital transformation to their own digital health strategy.
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Supporting Healthcare Innovators and SMEs: The delegation created new entry points for German digital health startups and SMEs, offering pathways to test innovations, explore reimbursement models, and form partnerships with Chinese hospitals and tech platforms.