A new era for eHealth
Europe’s eHealth sector is in line with the European Commission’s vision for the future: knowledge-based, experience-driven, and continuing to grow in tough economic times.
The European Commission has long understood the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) to have a positive impact on the lives of patients. Having invested over one billion euros in eHealth research over the past twenty years, we have many evidences of how bringing
together ICT and health can save and improve people’s lives. The time has now come to turn the research results into real large-scale benefits.
Our finances demand it. Our citizens expect it. And we absolutely need to maintain the strength of this growing industry and the high-paying jobs it
supports.
In March this year, the European Commission launched its strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth known as «EUROPE 20201».
At the heart of the strategy is an economy based on knowledge and innovation. It promotes a more resource efficient, competitive and greener environment and fosters high employment via economic, social and territorial cohesion.
The European Commission’s new flagship initiative, the Digital Agenda2 for Europe, builds on the foundations of EUROPE 2020. It represents an important step on the road to transforming eHealth from a research activity into an integral part of our daily lives leading to improved quality
of care, reduced medical costs and increased independent living for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Importantly, the Digital Agenda for Europe acknowledges that if we want eHealth services to reach their full potential, we need to provide user friendly tools and services directly to our citizens and patients. It also recognises that to reach this point, we must pull down the legal and organisational barriers that are preventing progress and build up cooperation between the EU Member States.
We should not get stuck at the stage of delivering electronic patient records only. That is, no doubt, a huge challenge in itself. But we also need to work together to deliver tools for patients that prevent health problems and personalise the healthcare services they receive.
Patient Power
Our research has shown that a common element of many successful eHealth solutions is their capacity to bring into play what are arguably the two most undervalued resources of the healthcare sector: information and patients.
We already know that Europe’s citizens have a thirst for knowledge when it comes to their health.
According to a recent study, in 2009, 85% of online citizens in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain turned to the internet and other technologies for health and prescription drug information2.
Our vision is that eHealth systems across Europe should channel this enthusiasm for information. Through secure and practical ICT based tools and services citizens can take greater control of their health: whether it be making an appointment online with their doctor, or getting a second opinion
on test results, or learning how to take preventive measures to stay healthy. This is a feasible step and can make a real difference for the efficiency of health systems, and for patients’ lives. To help achieve this vision, the European Commission will be active in supporting the deployment of projects that provide Europeans with secure online access to their own health data and enable online health services. An important first step to achieving this
will be agreeing on a minimum common set of patient data that can be accessed in a secured way wherever and whenever necessary.
Unlocking the Market Potential
eHealth is the fastest growing of the three main healthcare sectors in Europe (eHealth, pharmaceuticals
and medical devices). I would like to see the maturity of this market match the maturity of the technology itself. Health is not like most other markets – change depends heavily upon political will. So spreading the benefits of eHealth to all Europeans cannot happen without the support of all stakeholders, health authorities professionals and the industry in particular, with the underlying trust and demand by patients.
In line with the EUROPE 2020 vision, eHealth has great potential to create new businesses, jobs and save taxpayers’ money. Designated by the
European Commission as an EU «Lead Market», coordinated efforts have already been made by some eHealth stakeholders to address the legal and organisational barriers that are holding back innovation and progress.
The Digital Agenda now provides an extra stimulus to progress with the necessary standards, interoperability testing and certification processes that will consolidate the eHealth market and ensure transparency, growth and procurers’ trust. By bringing stakeholders together to take
these often complex but necessary steps, we will foster competition at EU level and guarantee better quality and safer eHealth solutions at a lower
price for the benefit of all. eHealth without Borders eHealth services put patients at the centre and can only work if patients and practitioners have the tools and the trust to be fully engaged. If eHealth is going to work across Europe, we need to ensure that we have secure and interoperable systems in place that enable safer care across borders. An important first step to achieving this will be agreeing on a minimum common set of patient data that can be accessed or exchanged electronically across the Member States. In practice this would mean, for example, that in the future any EU citizen with a chronic condition or allergy needing medical assistance in another EU country could be reassured that local healthcare professionals can have access, if the patient agrees, to the basic vital information to make potentially lifesaving medical decisions.
The benefits of eHealth are clear, but large scale eHealth success and corresponding benefits for all patients and our industries will only come as
a result from a truly collaborative effort. We must now seize the opportunity to step up a gear and enter this exciting new era for the benefit
of all.
I am fully aware of just how difficult it will be to achieve this agenda.
My new portfolio is very horizontal in nature, and eHealth is among the most horizontal of all the parts of this agenda. It involves not only every layer of government, but also many industries, many Commission policy areas and huge amounts of money!
1 http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020
2 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52010DC0245:EN:NOT
Neelie KROES
Vice-President of the EC and Commissionner in charge of the Digital Agenda for Europe |
