Charité University Medicine Berlin modernizes clinical data with secure cloud and AI integrations
Charité University Medicine Berlin, as part of the AIQNET consortium with Raylytic GmbH and BKK B. Braun Aesculap, undertook a project to modernize hospital information systems using cloud computing and AI. The goal was to digitize clinical workflows, leverage interoperability standards, and enable secure, GDPR-compliant data exchange and analysis. The consortium implemented the UNITY Platform, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that integrates with legacy hospital systems without risky downtime. The new system automates internal processes, supports HL7v2 and FHIR standards, and allows for AI-driven medical image and data analysis. The technical architecture ensures personal health information (PHI) never leaves the hospital. Data is pseudonymized, encrypted, and only accessible through tightly controlled access, meeting all EU and German privacy regulations. UNITY Platform's microservices—including DICOM AI viewers, PROM and PREM collection, and outcome measurement—operate as secured modules within the hospital network. The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The platform is now in active use, powering data integration, automation, and AI analysis for clinical research and operational improvements, and setting a model for other hospitals transitioning from legacy IT.
- Organization
- Charité University Medicine Berlin
- Industry
- Healthcare
- Location
- Germany
- Published
- January 2024
Reported outcomes
Strategic outcomes
Primary read
Use case focus
Showing 3 of 3
- 1Automated GDPR-Compliant Clinical Data Integration
- 2AI-Driven Medical Imaging Analysis
- 3Interoperable Digital Health Ecosystem for Research
- Transitioning from paper and legacy IT to interoperable digital ecosystems within strict German/EU data privacy laws.
- Difficulty integrating cloud computing due to legacy hospital information systems.
- Need for automated, scalable data analysis for research and clinical decision support.
- Maintaining operational continuity during infrastructure migration.
- Stepwise integration of UNITY Platform (SaaS) with legacy HIS using an on-premises integration server supporting HL7v2, FHIR, and DICOM.
- Automated extraction, pseudonymization, and secure cloud storage of clinical and medical imaging data.
- AI-powered image analysis for diagnosis and monitoring.
- Configuration of permissions and consent frameworks to ensure compliance with GDPR and local regulations.
- Operational hospital processes are now partially automated with the UNITY Platform, saving time and lowering risk of manual errors.
- Improved interoperability enables multi-hospital, regional, and national data sharing and studies.
- AI-powered analytics deliver deeper insights for precision medicine while protecting patient privacy.
- Charité’s Spine department uses AI algorithms for medical image evaluation, supporting better clinical outcomes and compliance with MDR.
Architecture
Legacy hospital systems feed data via an on-premises integration server supporting HL7v2, FHIR, and DICOM protocols. Data is extracted, de-identified, and encrypted before upload to the UNITY Platform (SaaS) within the hospital network. The platform provides DICOM viewers for AI image analysis and modules for outcome assessment. PHI remains local; only anonymized research data is shared. Access control and encryption policies ensure GDPR compliance in all transactions.
Implementation partners2
Sources & evidence1
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