EHMA calls for digital medication management to become a strategic investment priority in the next EU budget
18 September 2026
The European Health Management Association (EHMA) has published a new position paper calling for digital and automated medication management to be recognised as a strategic health-system investment within the EU’s 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
As European institutions negotiate the next long-term EU budget, EHMA argues that funding for digital health must go beyond research and innovation and support the implementation and scaling of proven solutions across health systems. Digital medication management provides a clear example: better connected and automated medication pathways can strengthen patient safety, release scarce workforce capacity, improve the use of medicines and increase health-system resilience.
From digital innovation to health-system implementation
European health systems are facing simultaneous pressures from workforce shortages, patient-safety challenges, constrained resources and the need to strengthen preparedness. Yet medication management in many hospitals still depends on manual activities, fragmented workflows and systems that provide limited real-time visibility of medicines across organisations. Even where parts of the pathway have been digitalised, implementation is often incomplete.
Digital and automated medication management can connect processes across prescribing, pharmacy, inventory, dispensing and administration, providing greater visibility, traceability and control. For health managers, the opportunity is not simply to introduce new technology, but to redesign medication-management processes so that digital infrastructure, clinical workflows and workforce capacity work together more effectively.
There is also a significant economic case for investment. Recent European modelling assessed five digital and automated technologies across the medication-management pathway. In the EU27 alone, an estimated €2.21 billion investment in inventory robots and automated dispensing cabinets could generate approximately €995.9 million in annual savings, including €452.8 million from reduced medication wastage, €125 million from lower inventory costs and €190 million from healthcare workforce efficiency gains.
However, a positive clinical, operational and economic case does not automatically translate into adoption. Upfront costs generally fall on hospitals, regions and national health services, while implementation requires investment in infrastructure, interoperability, cybersecurity, workforce training and organisational change. EHMA therefore argues that public funding has an important role in closing the gap between successful innovation and large-scale implementation.
An opportunity in the 2028–2034 MFF
EHMA’s position paper identifies opportunities across the emerging EU funding architecture: continuing innovation through FP10; creating a clear public-health route within the European Competitiveness Fund; supporting large-scale deployment through National and Regional Partnership Plans; and connecting medicines visibility and stock management with EU preparedness and civil-protection funding. Together, these instruments could create a funding continuum from research and demonstration through to implementation at scale.
EHMA is calling on the European Parliament, European Commission and Member States to ensure that digital medication management is recognised within the next MFF as a health-system investment contributing to patient safety, workforce capacity, efficiency and resilience. Investment should remain technology-neutral and focused on the capabilities and outcomes health systems need. The 2028–2034 MFF provides an opportunity to move beyond isolated digitalisation initiatives and enable proven digital health solutions to be implemented systematically across Europe.
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What our Members say
I have been active in EHMA since the first years of the '90s and I have seen its evolution from a small association of members interested in sharing knowledge on health management practices to the current status of reference and advisory key player for EU, health systems and organisations, stakeholders associations, industry and universities. EHMA is now a unique knowledge hub, policy advisor, community of practice and network of best in class organisations involved in health policy and management. A place where health managers can build their competences, policy-makers and stakeholder associations envision how to implement and sustain change through health management, industry leaders understand how to engage more effectively with health organisations and systems. The right place to nurture and grow health management capabilities and capacity for every stakeholder of health systems.
Prof Federico Lega, University of Milan, Italy
Health management has a crucial function in shaping public health and health system challenges. The Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria had success in collaborating with EHMA on EU-funded projects that has resourced us to create new health management competencies for the future workforce. In addition to all classical definitions, health management is a science dealing with individuals, groups, and society at large. It is an art contributing to the beauty of our lives and an interactive communication process at all levels of institutions and human energy. I have also had the pleasure to chair the South Eastern European Special Interest Group which gives members a space to discuss and tools to address how health systems are managed in our regions.
Prof Todorka Kostadinova, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria
I enjoy the high level of interaction and engagement in EHMA’s activities, in particular during the annual conference where the panel discussions are rich and well prepared. As a hospital manager and professor of health management, EHMA motivates and inspires me to be creative. You go back home feeling energised from seeing old friends and making new connections, as well as being convinced of serving as EHMA’s ambassador. It’s a strong feeling of interdisciplinary engagement, but it also feels like being part of family-like community.
Prof Sandra C. Buttigieg, MD, University of Malta, Malta
Health workforce has become more essential in operating, managing and maintaining health systems lately, particularly in crisis and emergency situations. European healthcare professions and the workforce need to be high on the agenda of managers and decision makers. The Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University in Hungary is a longstanding EHMA member, because it connects us with collaborators and experts, with whom we can have complex debates, from whom we can learn and at the end find solutions in various challenging fields of healthcare management.
Dr Eszter Kovács, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University, Hungary
As a hospital administrator and health management professor, I see on a daily basis that the healthcare challenges require talented and skilled managers to transform it. the EHMA membership has been beneficial to bring healthcare management research and education to the demanding healthcare services world, promoting healthcare management competencies and knowledge creation.
Dr Alexandre Lourenco, APAH - Association of Portuguese Hospital Managers, Portugal
Many healthcare systems in Europe and beyond are facing similar challenges which require innovative and creative solutions. EHMA’s annual conference, webinars, Programme Directors’ group and other activities and resources provide incredible opportunities for networking, connecting and sharing experiences. A distinct feature of EHMA is the diversity of members with representation from many countries, sectors and different communities of practice – academic, policy-makers, practitioners, managers, leaders and students. The annual conference is a highlight in the calendar year, offering a friendly, fun and learningful environment for emerging and established members to engage, collaborate and meet up with old and new friends. I am proud to be a member of the EHMA Board.
Prof Ann Mahon, University of Manchester, UK
Society evolution, pandemics and ageing modify health needs. So, health policies and services are to change dramatically. EHMA, through webinars, workshops and annual conference provides an excellent insight to a professional changing world, favouring closeness to management innovation and the protagonists of these changes. As a primary care services’ manager, participating in EHMA activities is really worth it and allows to involve oneself in the innovation processes.
Antoni Peris-Grao, MD, Consorci Castelldefels Agents de Salut (CASAP), Spain