But innovation that relies on technology requires one essential prerequisite: digital autonomy. Because without control over data, systems, and technology, innovation in healthcare often remains stuck on intentions alone. And that's a luxury we can no longer afford in 2025.

Digital autonomy means that an organization can determine where data is stored, who has access to it, and how technology is used. This isn't just about control over the IT department, but over the entire digital chain.

In practice, this means that a hospital or healthcare institution can make decisions without being dependent on suppliers or legislation outside the Dutch and European frameworks. Besides technical choices, this also requires strategic considerations. Can an organization make decisions independently? Or are you still dependent on foreign legislation or suppliers who set their own priorities?

Innovation demands flexibility, but also security. New applications, such as AI for diagnosis or reducing administrative burden, often require access to sensitive patient data. When a healthcare institution lacks digital autonomy, a conflict arises between technological possibilities and the conditions for applying that technology securely.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority reported that the healthcare sector received 2024 reports again in 6.873 was a leader in data leaks. Often it concerns human errors, but also risks in existing systems and fragmentation of the underlying technological infrastructure. Incidents such as the recent data breach in the population survey also show how fragile trust is.

When systems within organizations depend on external parties, or data is spread across different platforms, the integration of new technology becomes delayed and very complex. When supply chains lack seamless collaboration and interoperability, we often see this as a significant barrier to innovation.

Healthcare organizations that work with suppliers under foreign legislation, such as the US Cloud Act, run the risk of their data being accessed by non-European authorities. This reduces agility and increases uncertainty surrounding data usage.

New laws and regulations also require more digital autonomy. With the arrival of NIS2 Organizations, including healthcare institutions, are required to enforce stricter reporting practices, report incidents more quickly, and increase digital resilience. The lack of autonomy over your own IT infrastructure and data storage makes complying with these obligations expensive and risky.

The above-mentioned dependencies are the reason innovation projects in healthcare are delayed or even halted. Autonomy ensures that healthcare organizations can remain agile. Decisions are made internally, data control remains in-house, and new processes can be implemented safely and quickly.

A sovereign cloud, where data is physically stored within the Netherlands or the EU and managed by parties not subject to foreign legislation, is a powerful tool for achieving and safeguarding digital autonomy. It guarantees data sovereignty, minimizes risks (both legal and security), and gives healthcare institutions control over how data is used, shared, and secured.

This foundation also makes it possible to run AI applications on your own infrastructure and combine data from different sources for research – without compromising privacy or compliance.

Healthcare organizations that have their digital autonomy in order can:

The difference is noticeable: with autonomy you make innovation structural, scalable and strategic, instead of incidental and dependent.

Digital autonomy may seem like a long-term ambition, but it's a prerequisite for moving forward now. Want to know how your organization is doing? With our Digital Autonomy Checklist Discover the opportunities and risks in five minutes. And in our white paper The future of healthcare IT read how autonomy can be used to increase innovation power

Digital autonomy isn't just an IT issue; it's also a strategic prerequisite for the future sustainability of healthcare. Without control over data and systems, innovation becomes dependent on suppliers and regulators, rather than driven by the needs of patients and healthcare professionals.

In the coming years, new laws and regulations, pressure on data security and privacy, and the rise of AI will widen the gap between organizations that have and haven't properly secured their digital autonomy. Managers who fail to make a decision now will put their healthcare institutions at a disadvantage – technologically, strategically, and legally.

So the question is not whether you should achieve digital autonomy, but how quickly.