One Click to Care: How Russia Built a Citywide Digital Health Ecosystem

In a bold move toward healthcare transformation, Moscow has completed one of the world’s largest primary care digitization projects. All city polyclinics are now connected through a unified digital platform, creating a seamless ecosystem that links physicians, patients, and medical technologies in real time.

The goal? To make “digital” work for people—not the other way around.

A New Standard for Urban Healthcare

By integrating the Unified Medical Information and Analytical System (EMIAS), the National Digital Health System (EGISZ), AI-driven diagnostics, and telemedicine services, Moscow has raised the bar on accuracy, efficiency, and personalization in public healthcare.

This system-wide digital infrastructure is already inspiring replication across other Russian regions. Internationally, it’s drawing attention as a cost-effective, scalable model—particularly from countries facing healthcare workforce shortages and rising system pressures.

A Digital Workspace for Physicians

Clinicians in Moscow now operate in what could best be described as a fully digital practice environment. Each provider has instant access to a patient’s complete medical history, including lab results, CT and MRI scans, and AI-generated recommendations—no paperwork, no delays.

For patients, the change is equally dramatic. Online appointment scheduling, app-based access to medical records, telehealth consultations, and e-referrals have become standard. What was once a convenience is now the norm—with the patient at the center of care delivery.

Augmented Intelligence, Not Artificial Replacement

Artificial intelligence is being positioned not as a substitute for physicians, but as a strategic assistant. AI algorithms support diagnostic workflows by analyzing imaging, flagging potential health risks, and automating patient triage.

These tools reduce cognitive burden and free up physicians to focus on complex clinical judgment. More importantly, big data analytics is helping shift the system from reactive treatment to preventive care—identifying patterns that allow for early intervention.

As one senior official put it, “We’re moving from medicine that treats disease to medicine that prevents it.”

Russia’s Digital Blueprint Gains Global Interest

Russia’s model has proven not just effective but exportable. Countries such as Serbia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Egypt are actively exploring adaptation of the Russian platform for their own national systems.

In Belarus, a pilot program called “TOP-3” is being launched—a physician support tool that analyzes patient complaints and electronic medical records to generate preliminary diagnoses. Serbia, meanwhile, is prioritizing Russian medical technologies for use in oncology, cardiology, and pediatric care.

These partnerships highlight Russia’s growing role as a technology provider in the global health IT landscape, where digital health is increasingly seen as a matter of national security and sovereignty.

Scalable, Smart, and Human-Centered

In a global environment marked by physician burnout, staffing shortages, and overloaded health systems, Russia’s approach stands out as both technologically mature and patient-friendly. It’s not about catching up—it’s about setting the pace.

Russia’s digital health model demonstrates that innovation, scalability, and a human-centered design philosophy can coexist. This isn’t just about technology adoption—it’s about shaping the future standards of public health delivery.