AI and advanced digital technologies are transforming healthcare, but what does this look like in everyday clinical work?
At a recent seminar hosted by the UC Berkeley Center for Health Management and Policy Research, Professors Anette Hallin and Chris Ivory from Mälardalen University shared findings from the TechConnect. Their presentation, titled “Unfulfilled Promises of AI and Advanced Digital Technologies in the Daily Work of Healthcare Professionals: Examples from European Healthcare”, explored how digital tools are actually used across clinical settings.
Drawing on 12 case studies across four European hospitals, the TechConnect project highlights a consistent pattern: the success of digital technologies depends less on the tools themselves and more on how well they align with:
Clinical workflows
Organisational structures
Professional practices in healthcare
A central concept discussed was “bridging work”: the additional, often invisible effort made by healthcare professionals to make technologies function in practice, including adapting systems to local needs, filling gaps in functionality, integrating tools into daily routines. This work is rarely recognised, yet it is essential for ensuring that digital systems operate effectively in real-world settings.
The seminar, attended by around 15 participants, sparked strong interest and discussion. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley are preparing empirical studies on related technologies, further exchanges took place with colleagues at Stanford Biodesign and University of California, San Francisco.
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