Transforming European healthcare: the system's digital and green evolution

Małgorzata Stefania Lewandowska, Arkadiusz Michał Kowalski, Dawid Majcherek and Scott William Hegerty

Chapter 7 in The Twin Digital and Green Transition, 2026, pp 118-137 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The objective of this chapter is to provide an international comparative analysis of the state of adoption of green and digital goals in the European Union healthcare systems from the perspective of thirteen EU member states that have joined the union since 2004 (EU-13): Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, in contrast to the countries in the EU before 2004 (EU-14). Drawing on a macro- as well as a sector-level perspective, the chapter explores whether EU-13 countries, despite their historical and structural disparities, leverage digital technologies and green policies to improve patient value and modernize healthcare infrastructure while enhancing its efficiency. To identify the determinants of healthcare systems transformation, machine learning techniques, including clustering, are employed and result in grouping countries based on their shared characteristics. The application of k-means clustering, complemented by ANOVA, not only enhances understanding of the interrelationships between digitalization and green transition among EU member states but also provides actionable insights for policymakers aiming to improve healthcare systems and promote green initiatives across the whole EU region. The results show that, despite the huge effort of EU-13 countries, there is a visible gap between the transformation of their healthcare systems, both taking into account digital and green goals in comparison to the rest of the EU member states.

Keywords: Twin transition; Green transition; Digital technologies; Healthcare; Central and Eastern Europe; CEE; Innovation; EU policy; Sustainability; SDG (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035364275
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