How digital tools are transforming healthcare workforces

The digital is already at our workplace doorsteps, in healthcare, where stakes are high and every decision matters, the adoption of advanced digital technologies (ADTs) like AI and cloud computing is reshaping daily routines, workflows, and even the skills we value. But the real magic happens when human expertise and digital tools complement each other.

During the second TechConnect webinar “Skills, gaps and perceptions: survey findings on workforce digitalisation” on 19^th November, Na Fu from Trinity College Dublin presented key findings from our survey. We surveyed over 300 professionals across 14 countries and found that healthcare employees are overwhelmingly positive about digital tools:

• 92% use AI daily
• 96% are eager to learn more about new technologies
• 82% agree that ADTs enhance productivity and creativity

The human skills paradox

While 85% of managers and employees agree that human skills (creativity, problem-solving, communication) are increasingly important, training programs mostly focus on technical skills. Only about 28% of organisations offer training specifically for human-centric skills.

Giulia Meschino from the European Vocational Training Association emphasised during the discussion:

“We should build problem-solving and change management modules so staff can redesign processes, not just follow processes.”

The paradox is: organisations equip employees with technical proficiency but not the human skills necessary to apply technology wisely and ethically.

The real barriers aren’t what you expect

Contrary to popular belief, fear of job loss ranks lowest among barriers to technology adoption. The real obstacles are more practical and complex:

• Ethical and legal concerns around data use
• High costs of implementation
• Lack of skills

Beyond these, there’s a deeper challenge, as Laura Garcia Bermejo, Director of Research at IRYCIS, explained during the webinar:

“Who is taking this decision and who is taking the responsibility about a wrong decision? There is still a black hole surrounding us… this is one of the main bottlenecks that we are having now for implementing digital tools.”

Natalie Cole, Head of Innovation at Tallaght University Hospital, shared during the webinar how her organisation:

• Established oversight offices to assess new technologies before rollout
• Created trial environments with limited patient cohorts
• Strategically scheduled deployments to avoid overburdening departments during peak periods

The other main challenge is the patient erception about technologies. Patients fall into two groups: those who avoid digital tools and those who actively seek them.

Advice for managers

Panelists concluded the webinar with practical guidance:

• Focus on human-tech complementarity: synergy between people and technology is the goal.
• Shift from training availability to training relevance: employees engage when learning is directly connected to their work.
• Value skills in informal settings: acknowledge experience and knowledge gained outside formal courses.
• Build trustful scenarios using transparency and data.

As Laura Garcia Bermejo summarised: “We shouldn’t forget that tools are tools. The correct approach is to combine human skills and technology.”

Humans make the tools work

Digital transformation is not about replacing humans, it’s about enhancing human potential. Employees are ready to embrace this evolution, but organisations must rethink governance, training, and communication to make it work. Tools are only as powerful as the human skills they complement, the most important question isn’t what technology can do, but how humans and organisations can evolve to use it wisely.