Innovation Talks – Patient experience in the times of COVID-19The changes and challenges for the healthcare sector 


The COVID-19 pandemic is indeed a time of heightened uncertainty. It has forced healthcare systems worldwide to implement changes enabling more effective operation under duress, to prevent transmission of the virus, and to ensure patient safety. In this Innovation Talk, Dr. Christina Triantafyllou looks at patient experience during the pandemic from three different angles: patient perspective, the view of medical personnel, and the role of digital technology in healthcare.

The COVID-19 outbreak has created new pressures, risks, and challenges for all of us. We, as patients, are extremely concerned to return to the hospitals – even for routine procedures. Furthermore, our trust towards institutions, people, or healthcare systems has been severely affected.

Healthcare workers found themselves in the middle of a new reality that challenges them every single day. They are all facing a high risk of getting infected themselves and also feeling uncertain about the future. On top of that, they are still required to work under tremendous pressure, which can lead to burnout and increase the risk of errors when treating patients.

This talk discusses several topics that are relevant in times of COVID-19 crisis and beyond, namely:

  • How the pandemic has been a catalyst for new strategies concerning stress mitigation, trauma relief and resilience building for the healthcare teams?
  • How patient trust and confidence can be strengthened in the future?


For more information on how to improve patient care and why it is important, also visit our Insights Center.


Jason A. Wolf

Christina Triantafyllou, Ph.D. is Siemens Healthineers’ Head of Improving Patient Experience, where she explores ways in which this field can be enhanced and made more accessible to healthcare providers. She develops strategic approaches to deliver high value care, by providing patient experience focused solutions, best practices and thought leadership content.

Christina began her healthcare career at Harvard Medical School, Boston, US, where she worked as a medical physicist and advanced to a faculty position, focusing on developing innovative imaging technology and studying the human brain. Her scientific career continued at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, US, at the Brain and Cognitive Sciences department.

At Siemens Healthineers, she served as the Director of Global Ultra High Field MR Solutions, focusing on business strategy, KOL-based collaborations in innovation/clinical translation, and product management for the first worldwide clinical 7T MR system. Christina studied Physics and holds a Ph.D. in Medical Physics from Kings College, University of London, UK.


Siemens Healthineers Innovation Talks provides the latest insights about clinical conditions, innovation highlights, access to remote care, and various other topics that are shaping healthcare. Our expert speakers deliver compelling presentations and invite an open dialogue about the state of healthcare today and the world of tomorrow.