eHealth

The World Health Organization defines eHealth simply as “the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for health”. Healthcare professionals will certainly not be replaced by technology any time soon, but the use of information exchange technologies can help in many ways: Patient-centred approach results in knowledgeable and empowered patients. Healthcare professionals can focus most of their attention on the patient rather than filling in forms. Patients receive quality care becau…

The EU faces many of the same general health challenges seen in Eastern partner countries, such as an ageing population, leading to a similar need to optimise and modernise healthcare services. The European Commission has established the Digital Single Market as one of its main priorities and digital health care services are part of this strategy. The EU has already adopted legislation on medical equipment, health data protection and sharing, digital identification and secondary use of data, whi…

The EU4Digital eHealth thematic area assesses the state of health data management in Eastern partner countries and develops guidelines so that the capabilities of health information exchange and management are in harmony with both EU best practices and the realities of Eastern partner countries. Ideally, this means that data conforms to the same norms and is interoperable among various organisations, stakeholders and even across borders. This interoperability results in better care for patients,…

Interoperability is the ability of different systems, organisations or countries to exchange information and use it meaningfully. For this, participants must interpret shared information correctly, which means using the same standards and processes for an eHealth service. Interoperability is crucial in the health sector, as this domain is heterogeneous and complex, covering diverse actors ranging from providers to patients, who may be registered in and visit multiple health care institutions. Mo…

The EU4Digital eHealth thematic area created the eHealth collaboration platform as a dedicated private channel, where  eHealth experts in Eastern partner countries can sign in and contribute to regional collaboration. It aids professionals in establishing common eHealth guidelines and, in the future, services. This platform facilitates international eHealth development and harmonisation initiatives in the region. The contents of the platform range from calendar and meeting management tools to gu…