Healthcare technology is transforming clinical care through innovation, interoperability and digitalisation. We share the vision of Antonio Manuel Ojeda Cruz, president of the Spanish Society of Electromedicine and Clinical Engineering (SEEIC), regarding a healthcare model in which the strategic management of technology and technology assessment are cornerstones for generating value in healthcare and moving towards safer, more efficient, sustainable and person-centred care.
Innovating to create value in healthcare
Healthcare technology is undergoing a period of extraordinary development. Digitalisation, interoperability and the growing connectivity of medical devices are driving a new way of understanding healthcare.
For Antonio Manuel Ojeda Cruz, president of the Spanish Society of Electromedicine and Clinical Engineering (SEEIC), this transformation only takes on its full meaning when innovation is put at the service of people and helps to improve quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare. “The introduction of healthcare technology must always serve a very clear objective: to create value for healthcare. “It is not a question of adopting the very latest technology, but rather that which has been shown to improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient safety, optimise care processes and make more efficient use of public resources,” he says.
This approach positions the evaluation of health technologies as an essential tool for selecting those solutions capable of having a positive impact from a clinical, technical, organisational, economic and environmental perspective.
This same philosophy was reflected in the motto of the SEEIC 2026 Congress: “Innovation, sustainability and technology in the service of health”. As Ojeda explains, “innovation must respond to specific healthcare needs; sustainability must ensure that we can maintain that innovation over time; and all technology must always be geared towards improving people’s health”.
With this vision in mind, the president of the SEEIC examines the key challenges and opportunities that will shape the future of healthcare, ranging from the responsible integration of new technologies to the strategic management of equipment, interoperability, cybersecurity and the increasingly important role of clinical engineering in the transformation of hospitals.
Strategic management of healthcare equipment
Advances in healthcare technology are also driving a new approach to managing hospital equipment. Beyond simply purchasing new devices, Antonio Manuel Ojeda advocates a planning approach based on a long-term vision. “The answer lies not in investing more, but in investing better, by making decisions based on data, evidence and planning,” he explains.
Having up-to-date inventories, obsolescence analyses, risk assessments and life-cycle cost studies enables investments to be directed towards those technologies that offer the greatest value to the healthcare system.
Added to this are increasingly important factors such as energy efficiency, interoperability, cybersecurity and the ability to upgrade equipment. As he sums up, “the technology of the future must be not only more advanced, but also more efficient, safer and more sustainable”.
Connected hospitals for more efficient care
The connectivity of medical devices is making increasingly coordinated care possible. To realise its full potential, Antonio Manuel Ojeda believes it is essential to move towards genuine interoperability between different systems. “It is not enough for devices to be connected; they must be able to communicate using common standards, share information reliably, and make data available to healthcare professionals exactly where they need it. Only then will we be able to harness the full potential of digitalisation and move towards more integrated, efficient and patient-centred care”, he says.
In this digital environment, cybersecurity plays a vital role in ensuring continuity of care and confidence in the use of new technologies: “Today we can say that cybersecurity is an integral part of patient safety. Protecting connected medical equipment means safeguarding the continuity of care and ensuring the confidence of healthcare professionals and the public in an increasingly digital healthcare environment.”
Furthermore, advanced analytics and predictive models will make it possible to transform the vast amount of data generated by hospitals into useful knowledge to improve decision-making and continue moving towards more personalised medicine.
The medicine of the future, Ojeda points out, will undoubtedly become increasingly technology-driven. “Artificial intelligence, robotics, remote monitoring, personalised medicine, smart hospitals and big data analysis will profoundly transform the way we diagnose, treat and support patients. However, the real objective will remain the same as it has always been: to provide safer, more efficient and more humane care.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does clinical engineering bring to hospitals?
Clinical Engineering ensures the safe, efficient and sustainable management of healthcare technology throughout its entire life cycle, helping to improve the quality of care and patient safety.
Why is interoperability important in healthcare technology?
Interoperability enables medical devices to share information using common standards, promoting more integrated care, better decision-making and greater efficiency in hospitals.
What role will electromedicine play in the future of healthcare?
According to Antonio Manuel Ojeda, electromedicine will play a decisive role in transforming technological innovation into value for healthcare, promoting safer, more efficient and person-centred care.
