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About the project
eHealth in support of health services
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Based on this World Health Organisation (WHO) definition, health systems across the world are increasingly subscribing to the paradigm of
citizen and patient-centred health services.
At the same time, all health services are faced with similar issues, such as:
- improving the quality of services and medical outcomes,
- better and more equal access for all,
- optimal allocation of scarce resources,
- greater emphasis on public health issues, such as disease control and prevention,
- investing in health education, medical research, and bio-medical & ICT knowledge.
eHealth is the application of information and communications technologies (ICT) in support of health provision. It can have a great impact on health care delivery, public health and health-related activities, and benefits for both low- and high-income countries. eHealth infostructures and networks, applications and services can help to master national health system challenges and extend their reach to other countries, supporting the growing mobility of their citizens.
Europe’s eHealth Action Plan
Within Europe and globally, national health systems face similar issues. Thus, cooperation is a powerful tool for supporting countries in achieving their health objectives, and fostering the development and competitiveness of a growing eHealth industry. A more structured approach to integrated, interoperable eHealth systems and services will be a great step forward. Work towards development of such an approach. has increasing support from European authorities and stakeholders.
To take fuller advantage of the potential of eHealth, the European Commission published its Action Plan for a European eHealth Area in April 2004. It comprises three target areas:
- How to address common challenges and create the right framework to support eHealth,
- Pilot actions to jump start eHealth delivery, and
- Sharing best practices and measuring progress.
eHealth also forms an important part of the European Union’s new strategic framework "i2010 - A European Information Society for growth and employment". It focuses on the three crucial areas of a European health information space, innovation in all eHealth initiatives, and enabling greater access, involvement and inclusion of Europe’s citizens and other stakeholders in healthcare provision through electronic means.
The WHO followed suit in 2005 by agreeing on a long-term strategic plan for eHealth.
Economic impact assessment of eHealth
One of the largest challenges facing policy-makers, industrialists, and market-makers is identifying and measuring in precise terms the added-value of expanding ICT in health care and provision. To enable this, the European Commission has initiated a Study on the Economic Impact of eHealth which develops and tests a context-adaptive method of evaluating eHealth. It focuses on three stages each application has to follow - planning & development, implementation, and routine operation. A handbook of tools to collect relevant information on costs and benefits related to these stages will be produced. It will include identified critical success factors, like the dimensions to include in the scope of the eHealth application, actors to involve, change management and training efforts. Key aspects are proven benefits for patients, professionals and payers. The framework offers a generic base to help to derive a more pragmatic method for each application.