Opinion piece by Agnès de Leersnyder for Maddyness: AI is already saving lives: France must take global leadership in digital health!

Opinion piece originally published on Maddyness IA

Artificial intelligence in healthcare is no longer a promise, it is a reality. Every day, it saves time for healthcare professionals, improves chances for patients, and assists caregivers. Yet, we have only tapped into a fraction of its potential.

In France, 30% of hospital doctors' time is still absorbed by administrative tasks. Too much bureaucracy, too much time wasted, and too many outdated tools. Meanwhile, AI is already capable of easing up the burden on healthcare workers, thanks to startups like Medvir for diagnostics, Hopia for anticipating hospital flows, or Tandem Health, which allows caregivers to save up to two hours per day by drafting their medical reports.

For patients, the advancements are spectacular. In silico clinical trials drastically reduce time and costs of drug development. DeepLife and WhiteLab Genomics accelerate the search for new therapies using AI and digital twins.

For the more than 9.3% of caregivers in France, often forgotten, AI is also a revolution. Doctoome, for instance, simplifies navigation in the healthcare journey.

France has everything it takes to be a global leader in digital health. We have the talent, researchers, startups, and industry. We have an emerging Tech Bio sector, which was recently strengthened by the partnership between Future4care, France Biotech, and France Deeptech.

Yet, some barriers still need to be removed for the healthcare sector to fully harness the power of artificial intelligence.

Access to health data: a matter of sovereignty and competitiveness

Data is the fuel of AI in healthcare. However, in our country, it takes an average of nine months from the submission of a request to access the data.
Today, French startups must train on American or Asian databases because they do not have access to French data. This is absolute nonsense:
It slows down innovation and prevents us from creating solutions tailored to our public health needs.
It jeopardizes our health sovereignty: in the event of restrictions on foreign databases, we would become dependent on non-European players.
It reduces the attractiveness of our healthcare ecosystem: startups and investors are reluctant to establish themselves in France if data is not accessible.

Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of massive investments in artificial intelligence and computing power during the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit marks a decisive turning point and demonstrates the national will to advance in the race for France's digital sovereignty. By equipping the country with high-density computing centers capable of hosting and processing massive volumes of data, this strategy will reduce our dependence on foreign infrastructures and ensure better protection of sensitive information. Beyond security, these investments will accelerate innovation in healthcare by facilitating the development of AI algorithms for diagnostics, research, and personalized medicine. In the current geopolitical context, mastering health data is a strategic lever, allowing France and Europe to take the lead in AI in life sciences.

Modernizing hospital digital infrastructures

Integrating AI solutions into hospitals remains a major challenge. Between the budget constraints of healthcare institutions, the complexity of regulations, change management, and the process changes brought about by digital transformation, the adoption of new technologies is often slowed down. The processes for approval and clinical validation are long and costly, complicating market entry for young companies. Furthermore, hospital infrastructures are often outdated and poorly suited for integrating advanced digital solutions. Lastly, the protection of health data, subject to strict requirements, adds an additional layer of complexity.

As a result, it is still very difficult to deploy AI on a large scale in hospitals. A healthcare worker who has to juggle five different software systems will never be able to fully benefit from the advantages of new technologies.

For AI in healthcare to fulfill its promises, it is essential to make it easier for startups to collaborate with healthcare institutions by streamlining collaborations and financially supporting the adoption of these innovations. AI cannot function without a solid foundation. The majority of French hospitals still operate with poor connectivity and outdated IT systems, with significant interoperability challenges. We must make the modernization of hospital digital infrastructures a national priority.

Access to funding: Stay the course

France is home to a rapidly growing HealthTech ecosystem, supported by massive public investments and increasing private sector engagement. The recent announcement of a €1.2 billion fundraising by the French investment firm Sofinova Partners is a promising new development for the sector.
However, a major challenge persists: funding for startups after their Series A round. While the early stages of seed funding receive strong support, the transition to industrialization and international expansion remains a critical phase for startups, hindered by a lack of dedicated capital. It is imperative to strengthen the synergy between public and private funding to support this crucial transition. French health startups are not lacking in innovation or ambition, but they need investors ready to take over and transform their technological advancements into industrial and commercial success. Investors have a unique opportunity to participate in the consolidation of a strategic sector that offers both growth potential and societal impact. Now more than ever, it is necessary to accelerate the structuring of specialized funds for digital health and deep tech.

It’s time for Europe to take responsibility and develop an ambitious funding strategy for healthtech and AI in healthcare.

Inaction has a cost. A human cost, a financial cost, a strategic cost.
We have the solutions, the talent, and the startups. It’s time to break down the barriers.
At Future4care, we bring together startups, industrial players, hospitals, investors, and insurers to accelerate the adoption of digital health. Our goal is clear: to create European champions of digital health.

France is at a decisive turning point in the race for AI, and we can no longer leave digital outside the healthcare system. AI in healthcare is not an option. It is an imperative!