eHealth[fr][de] 

eHealth  stands for the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) across the whole range of functions that affect the health sector - from the doctor to the hospital manager and from data processing to social security administrators and the patients. The aim is to improve the quality, access and efficacy of healthcare for all.

In the EU, eHealth plays a key role in the block's  eEurope  strategy since the initiative was launched in 1999 and followed up by successive Action Plans eEurope 2002 , eEurope 2005  and i2010 . 

Regional health networks, electronic health records in primary care and deployment of health cards have contributed to the emergence of an 'eHealth industry', which, according to the Commission, has the potential to become the third largest industry in the health sector, after the pharmaceutical industry and the medical device and imaging industry.

The first EU  eHealth Action Plan  adopted in April 2004 seeks to boost the creation of national eHealth infrastructure systems, electronic health records and patient summaries and to ensure their interoperability. 

The Action Plan for the period of 2004-2010 focuses on three priority areas:  

• addressing common challenges and creating the right framework to support eHealth, such as interoperability of health information systems and of electronic health records, patient identifiers and mobility of patients and health professionals;
• accelerating implementation of eHealth information on for example health education and disease prevention as well as promoting the use of electronic health cards;
• working together and monitoring, benchmarking and disseminating best practices.  

In June 2006, the Commission's ICT for Health Unit adopted a new  strategy  to promote the transformation of the European healthcare landscape. It argues that in order to face the challenges of the ageing population and other healthcare challenges Europe needs a "new healthcare delivery model, based on preventive and person-centred health systems, which can only be achieved through proper use of ICT".  

The approach is said to build upon the eHealth Action Plan and to involve forward-looking research under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Science and Research (FP7). The strategy is also in line with the Commission's new policy framework  i2010  to promote application of ICT to improve social inclusion, public services and quality of life. 

A recent report on European countries' eHealth priorities and strategies (April 2007) states that member states have made good progress in implementing the EU's eHealth strategy but have failed to address education and socio-economic issues falling under their responsibility (see EurActiv 12/04/2007).

Pilot projects

In the eHealth 2007 conference, the EU-27 and the members of the European Economic Area adopted, on 19 April 2007, a common declaration on their commitment to pursue structured co-operation on cross-border electronic health services (EHR) across Europe. 

The declaration proposed the launch of large-scale pilot projects to test European co-operation in the field and recommends that member states work on common European standards together with the healthcare IT industry to ensure interoperability but also to open up new market opportunities in the field. 

Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou has said that "eHealth can empower patients and improve healthcare. Even more importantly, by reducing the scope for medical errors, it can save lives. We need a partnership between health ministers, technology providers, patient groups and health NGOs to release the full potential of eHealth in Europe." 

"The European approach to eHealth should be about spending euros on patients, not on paperwork. For example, electronic medical records can help doctors diagnose illness and prescribe treatments more accurately, thus reducing medical errors. It also means cutting down paperwork to improve efficiency. Electronic patient referrals in Denmark are saving €1 million a year and could rise to €3.5 million a year, if all referrals were sent electronically," said Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding.

"EU-US co-operation on eHealth is important as we are both large economic areas with the same characteristics [c.f. ageing population]. We need to co-ordinate the development of standards and interoperability in the this field," said the Commission's Information Society DG Director-General Fabio Colasanti. 

"It is also clear that the technology as such is not enough. It needs to be accompanied with an appropriate legal environment and education of healthcare professionals," said Frans de Bruïne, director at DG Information Society. 

"eHealth should no longer be a subject of special conferences but simply the normal way we do healthcare," said Petra Wilson, director for the public sector healthcare at the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group. "We need to give doctors hard-cash incentives, such as paying more per visit, to encourage them to adopt and use technology." 

Peter Langkafel from SAP agrees that incentivation of doctors is important but said that it is not enough: "You need to show value and a business case for eHealth - improved quality care and patient safety and improved use of resources in healthcare (human resources, processes). The business case can be shown by cost-benefit studies." 

"Why shouldn't patients have the same type of service possibility in healthcare as they do for instance in banking? There's a need to educate the patient about what can be achieved. The patients should turn to their healthcare providers and start putting pressure on them to use more technology," said Baldur Johnsen, director of healthcare- market development at Hewlett Packard. 

"Healthcare is the fastest-growing sector of our company. This is serious business," said Charles Scatchard, vice-president of health sciences at Oracle. "We also know that all new health technology takes 17 years to be finally usable." 

"E-health allows regions to overcome distance barriers when organising and delivering health services, and is therefore an important tool both for rural and urban areas. Developing such innovative technologies also contributes to a region’s overall economic development, by attracting companies specialised in this field and creating new employment opportunities," said Agneta Granström, County Councillor of Norrbotten, speaking at an Assembly of European Regions conference.

"We have to start by strengthening the co-operation between hospitals and between health care providers all over Europe. We don't need a single system, the same for everyone; we need different interoperable systems. Both universities and industry should fully appreciate the enormous potential e-health offers and together with the regions they should commit themselves to the development of e-health tools," she added. 

The Pharmacists Group of the EU (PGEU) calls upon the national and European authorities to help pharmacists, together with other healthcare providers, to develop the advantages and opportunities that the increased use of the Internet and the development of e-health applications offer. PGEU adds that "the development of European standards and the mutually recognised certification of P2P applications, including the necessary standards for transmission of electronic prescriptions and related health data, should help all stakeholders to extend their existing services and health provision gradually and safely to Internet applications. It is essential that pharmacies have access to all relevant information."