eHealth Network spotlights strategic steps towards cross-border services
Date: 27/11/23
How can doctors obtain the vaccination history, allergy status and official medical records of new patients who have moved between countries? Digital health systems that allow for cross-border exchange of information and access to services are more important than ever in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region. The EU4Digital eHealth thematic area works with Eastern partner countries to build their eHealth strategies as a vital step towards improving healthcare for their residents. Two eHealth Network workshops, online on 16 and 24 November, covered diverse topics including financing, innovation and activism in digital health.
The need for cross-border eHealth services and information exchange has become increasingly pressing since Russia’s aggression caused around 6 million Ukrainians to flee to neighbouring countries. For them, their healthcare providers and other residents in those and other countries, improving national and regional eHealth strategies and how they are implemented would also improve quality of life.
Three years of enormous change in how information is stored and managed is another good reason to overhaul the digital health systems of Eastern partner countries and bring them in line with European Union (EU) best practices – likewise the 2020 guidelines for eHealth harmonisation and interoperability. These improvements will pave the way for the implementation of smooth and secure cross-border eHealth services such as e-Prescription or Patient Summary.
High-level workshops
The workshops included representatives from multiple ministries, including those covering health, digital information, and information technology. This ensured a wide range of experience and understanding, which deepened the insights and knowledge gained throughout the events. All countries were able to share anonymised information and statistics about the current status of technical developments, among other topics, using a survey tool. This allowed the participating countries to compare and contrast their insights and issues.
Each of the eHealth Network workshops’ sessions covered a separate component needed to create a national digital health strategy – from laws to cybersecurity to medical telecommunication and e-prescriptions. Data connectivity and server capacity were also examined in the workshops, as essential elements to master if a system is to operate optimally.
In the first workshop, participants explored the financing models and economics of digital health, as well as health plan adoption and health innovations. The use of patient data as a resource and how health systems compensate, financially or non-financially, or co-finance the use of digital health solutions by individuals or organisations were also covered. The second event discussed sub-strategies as dedicated components within eHealth strategies, health data activism, leveraging public-private partnerships within eHealth ecosystems, and how to build capacity in digital health.
Next steps The November workshops concluded the series of these EU4Digital eHealth Network events. However, the EU4Digital eHealth stream continues to assist Eastern partner countries with their digital health strategies, exploring specific cases, concerns and strategies for each country. The question of whether to test either ePrescription or Patient Summary and in which country, plus step-by-step guidance on how to successfully implement the service will soon be decided. The service piloting will start early in 2024.
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