On December 30, 2021, the EU4Digital eHealth stream organised a virtual event on eHealth strategy development. This was the fifth virtual event in a series of planned eHealth collaboration events for the year. The aim of the event was to bring eHealth Network members together from the six Eastern partner countries, providing opportunities for collaboration with regard to eHealth strategy development.

In the first part of the event, the EU4Digital eHealth team shared with the Network the outline of the upcoming eHealth event in 2022 on tracking the progress in the implementation of eHealth harmonisation guidelines. This briefing was followed by a presentation from the EU4Digital eHealth team of recommendations for eHealth strategy development in relation to key strategic directions. Based on real eHealth obstacles to be addressed in the Eastern partner countries, the EU4Digital team has defined six harmonised and interoperable eHealth ecosystem building blocks. Each presented building block was followed by proposed recommendations helping to overcome existing eHealth challenges.

In the second part of the event, long-term EU4Digital eHealth expert, Dr Henrique Martins presented an overview of eHealth strategy developments across Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Portugal). eHealth strategies in these countries were compared in different dimensions, including: legislative and organisational approach, telemedicine, patient access to data, eHDSI for interoperability, health information standards and usage of IHE profiles, medical images (PACS), implementation of cross-border eHealth services and eHealth and public sector interoperability.

In the final part of the event, representatives from Eastern partner countries were invited to make a brief overview of national eHealth development strategic plans, with an overview of the vision and planned key activities. eHealth representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine shared their strategic plans and priorities. 

Common Guidelines for eHealth Harmonisation and Interoperability https://eufordigital.eu/library/common-guidelines-for-ehealth-harmonisation-and-interoperability/