On 12 May 2026, EUREGHA’s Internal Working Group on Digital Transformation gathered regional and local health stakeholders from across Europe for a dedicated exchange on the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss how AI can support healthcare systems, improve service delivery, and strengthen innovation, while ensuring that its deployment remains trustworthy, inclusive, and patient-centred. The session also allowed members to exchange on EU policy developments, regional governance approaches, and skills needs linked to the digital transformation of health and care.
European Commission: EU initiatives for AI deployment in healthcare
The first part of the meeting featured Yannos Tolias from the European Commission, who presented the latest EU initiatives supporting the deployment of AI in healthcare. The presentation focused in particular on the COMPASS-AI project and its role in helping advance trustworthy and responsible AI solutions for health systems.
The discussion also addressed the implementation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and its relevance for enabling better access to health data, supporting innovation, and strengthening the conditions for AI development and uptake across Europe. Participants reflected on the importance of data quality, governance, interoperability, and trust as essential conditions for the effective use of AI in healthcare.
Emilia-Romagna Region: building a regional AI governance ecosystem
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the regional experience of Emilia-Romagna, presented by Annamaria Gentili and Dario Tedesco. The presentation introduced the Region’s strategy for AI governance in healthcare, aimed at building a coordinated, trustworthy, and scalable AI ecosystem across the regional health system.
Particular attention was given to the work of the Healthcare AI Task Force, including the mapping of more than 90 AI projects developed across healthcare services and research institutes. These initiatives cover several areas of application, including radiology, clinical decision support, workflow optimisation, and patient care.
Emilia-Romagna also shared its efforts to strengthen AI literacy and workforce preparedness through dedicated training pathways, while advancing regulatory readiness, interoperability, and the development of a regional AI regulatory sandbox to support responsible innovation in healthcare. The presentation highlighted how regional governance can help align innovation, ethics, technical capacity, and practical implementation across health systems.
EUREGHA updates: skills, innovation and collaboration opportunities
EUREGHA then presented the recently published BeWell Skills Strategy, developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders across Europe. The Strategy aims to support the upskilling and reskilling of the health and care workforce for the digital and green transition, addressing the competences needed to prepare professionals for rapidly evolving healthcare environments.
Participants also exchanged on collaboration and innovation opportunities through the InnoMedCatalyst project, including the ongoing open call supporting healthcare providers in connecting with innovators, startups, and regional ecosystems. The initiative was presented as an opportunity to accelerate the uptake of digital health innovation and strengthen cooperation between healthcare organisations, regional actors, and innovation communities across Europe.
The meeting reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation between regions, EU institutions, healthcare providers, researchers, and innovators to ensure that AI contributes to stronger, more resilient, and more person-centred healthcare systems. Discussions underlined that successful AI deployment requires not only technological solutions, but also clear governance, investment in skills, strong data infrastructures, and trust among professionals and citizens.
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