Over the first weeks of September 2026, stakeholder consultations conducted as part of the BRITE-EU project have highlighted crucial insights from leading Spanish research institutions regarding the future of digital health. Interviews with PhD. Laura García Bermejo, Scientific Director of the Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), and PhD. Manuel Sánchez de la Torre, Director of the Health Research Institute of Castilla-La Mancha (IDISCAM), reveal that unlocking the true potential of digital medicine requires moving far beyond brilliant code or standalone scientific discoveries. Instead, success hinges on building robust, highly coordinated ecosystems supported by professionalised management structures.
For decades, research management was viewed as a back-office administrative chore. Today, both IRYCIS and IDISCAM emphasise that professionalised R&I management is a strategic cornerstone of institutional success. Specialised offices and mentorship frameworks, such as IDISCAM’s Science College, help researchers navigate complex regulatory landscapes and data management plans. Yet, this evolution exposes a pressing vulnerability: a lack of defined career paths for research managers. Because skilled managers are heavily sought after by the private sector, public research institutes face a constant risk of brain drain without clear professional progression and economic recognition.
The integration of AI and digital tools into healthcare also introduces complexities that stretch far beyond traditional technical training. Both directors stress that modern healthcare ecosystems require a cultural shift centered on ethical and regulatory rigor, ensuring patient data is handled safely under strict European frameworks. Engineers must understand hospital workflows, clinicians need a foundational grasp of data science, and managers must comprehend technical limitations, dissolving traditional silos.
Despite pockets of excellence, Spain’s health research ecosystem faces deep-rooted structural hurdles. Significant regulatory and procedural differences across autonomous communities complicate multi-regional collaboration and data sharing, prompting calls for more homogeneous national frameworks. Furthermore, too many digital health projects fall into short-term funding cycles where promising tools vanish before they can be permanently integrated into the public health system. Sustainable funding models must cover the entire lifecycle from research to implementation.
Ultimately, successful innovation must never be driven by a technology-first mindset. Collaboration between researchers, hospitals, industry, and patients must originate from concrete clinical problems. IRYCIS Innovation & Social Advisory Board is of large interest for establishing stable dialogue mechanisms and public-private partnerships, research institutes can ensure that technological developments directly address the real-world needs of healthcare professionals and patients, turning the promise of digital health into a tangible reality for society.