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European Commission activities in eHealth
Silas Olsson1, Andreas Lymberis, Diane Whitehouse
1National Expert to the EC, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium. silas.olsson@cec.eu.int
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
|February 16, 2005
Summary
European Union funding since 1988 has advanced eHealth (electronic health-care) solutions, improving care access and efficiency. A 2004 Action Plan created a unified European eHealth agenda for broader implementation.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Public Health Policy
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Background:
- Healthcare is information-intensive, necessitating eHealth solutions.
- The European Commission (EC) has funded eHealth R&D since 1988.
- Programmes focused on electronic health records, telemedicine, and health professional efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review EC-initiated eHealth activities.
- To highlight the evolution and impact of eHealth in Europe.
- To document policy developments towards a European eHealth Area.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of EC-funded research and development projects (approx. 400 projects over 15 years).
- Review of support activities, best practices, and studies.
- Examination of technical, clinical, ethical, legal, organizational, and market aspects.
Main Results:
- Significant EU investment (approx. 500 million Euro) in eHealth R&D.
- Demonstrated benefits of eHealth: improved access, citizen-centered care, quality enhancement, and cost containment.
- eHealth adoption is now a governmental priority across EU Member States.
Conclusions:
- Europe has established a coherent agenda for eHealth implementation with the 2004 Action Plan.
- eHealth is recognized for its proven benefits and is moving towards broader integration.
- The Information Society Directorate-General of the EC has been central to driving these initiatives.