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Thursday, 25.04.2024, 17:33
EU health ministers agree on accelerating development of e-health services
"With the Council's conclusions we have given a push to the
cooperation of the member states to create better conditions for data-based
innovation and the more extensive implementation of e-health services in the
whole of Europe," Estonian Minister of Health and Labor Jevgeni Ossinovski was quoted by
spokespeople as saying. "As the presidency we have been open to the
proposals of different parties. This has helped achieve a broad-based support,
which creates the preconditions for the activities initiated during the
Estonian presidency to be realized in the next few years."
The ministers in the conclusions emphasize that digital technology and data
analysis enable to develop new health services and simplify the communication
between the different parties of healthcare. It will be possible based on data
analysis to make better and more accurate decisions when diagnosing and
treating illnesses and through that to use healthcare resources more
economically than before. For people this ensures better access to health data,
control over the use of their health data and the possibility of assuming a
greater responsibility to take care of their health.
The conclusions encourage member states to increase investments for the
implementation of e-solutions supporting the quality of services in healthcare
and to eliminate unjustified obstacles in the movement of health data. To
ensure the free movement of data, the European Commission has been called to
support the creation of cross-border information systems through EU funds.
Implementation of the principles agreed upon in the conclusions create new
possibilities both for people and companies offering health services. "For
example, thanks to cross-border data exchange and cooperation platforms, it is
possible to offer access to the best medical knowledge in Europe to people
suffering from rare diseases. This in turn enables ti diagnose the illness
faster and treat it better," Ossinovski said. "There are 35
million people suffering from rare diseases in Europe, who could potentially
benefit from this. Not to speak of the millions of Europeans, who travel
and if necessary can use their health data and digital prescription when in
another European country."
In addition to health benefits, creating the conditions for scientific
research and development also increases the competitiveness of companies
offering digital health services on the European single market and makes the
possibilities of personal medicine more accessible to people.
People's access to their health data, people's rights to decide over the
use of their health data and the use of health data to develop health services
and conduct research were also discussed at an informal meeting of the health
ministers held in Tallinn at the end of July, where the ministers among other
things also emphasized the need for improving cooperation to increase data
security and the interoperability of information systems.
Digital innovation in the field of health is supported by the great interest
of e-health organization. Some one hundred European organizations who have
joined the Digital Health Society in cooperation with state institutions are
developing cross-border cooperation agreements to accelerate the digitalization
of health systems in the whole of Europe. A joint declaration has been
published, which will be open for expressions of support until the end of
December.