Fraunhofer IAIS: Strategic use of artificial intelligence as the key to the future viability of hospitals

The white paper was published by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS on the occasion of DMEA 2026. DMEA, Europe’s leading event for digital health, will take place in Berlin from April 21 to 23, 2026. Together with other Fraunhofer Institutes, Fraunhofer IAIS will be presenting current research results and practical solutions for digital healthcare in Hall 2.2, Stand D-109. The white paper is aimed specifically at decision-makers in hospitals who want to use AI strategically, responsibly and sustainably.

Artificial intelligence is often tested in individual pilot projects in hospitals – for example in documentation, medical image analysis or decision support. However, the sustainable benefits are often limited. The Fraunhofer IAIS white paper shows: The biggest hurdles lie less in the technology and more in a lack of data strategies, unclear responsibilities, regulatory uncertainty and a lack of acceptance among employees.

“AI can only deliver added value in hospitals if it is understood as a strategic issue – not as an isolated IT project,” says Dario Antweiler, Team Leader Healthcare Analytics at Fraunhofer IAIS. “We show how hospitals can systematically shape the transition from piloting to sustainable implementation.”

The authors of the white paper propose a three-stage process model for developing an AI strategy in hospitals:

1. Analysis and setup (AI readiness): Assessment of data quality, IT architecture, organization and competencies.
2. Strategy: Definition of a target picture, prioritization of suitable AI use cases and development of an implementation roadmap.
3. Implementation and operation: Integration into clinical processes, establishment of governance structures and continuous quality assurance.

The approach combines technological, organizational and regulatory perspectives and shows how AI initiatives can be embedded in existing digital and corporate strategies.

In addition, the authors make it clear that the successful use of AI in hospitals is not just a technological, but above all an organizational and cultural transformation task. It is crucial to embed AI in existing digital and corporate strategies at an early stage, to define clear responsibilities and to actively involve medical and nursing staff. Only when employees experience the benefits of AI in their day-to-day work and have confidence in transparency, traceability and regulatory safeguards can AI develop its full potential. The publication shows how hospitals can create acceptance through targeted change management, training and governance structures and shape the transition from individual pilot projects to scalable, economically viable solutions.

In addition, the legal and ethical framework conditions for the use of AI in hospitals are highlighted. In particular, the EU AI Act, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) place new demands on hospitals – not only as users, but also as operators of AI systems. Structured AI governance is therefore becoming a key success factor.

The white paper is aimed at management boards, medical and nursing directors, IT and digital managers as well as quality and innovation managers in hospitals. It offers sound guidance on the targeted use of AI to relieve staff, improve quality and ensure economic and organizational sustainability.

AI solutions and advice at DMEA 2026

At the DMEA in Hall 2.2, Stand D109, Fraunhofer IAIS will be showcasing AI solutions for everyday clinical practice. These include secure language models that have already proven themselves in practice to speed up medical documentation, a comprehensive AI clinic suite to optimize administrative processes along the supply chain and intelligent agent systems to support supply and information flows – especially in primary care.

The technological portfolio is complemented by consulting services to support hospitals in the development and implementation of their individual AI strategy. “Hospitals that lay the strategic foundations now can make targeted use of the potential of AI – instead of getting stuck in individual projects,” says Antweiler.

This press release has been automatically translated. 

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Further links

👉 To the original press release

👉 Whitepaper (download upon registration)