In Denmark, island residents can communicate quickly and effectively via the Internet on a daily basis with their doctor or a health professional based on the mainland, in order to obtain information about their medications, the tests they may need to take, and their general health status. In Estonia, since 2009, citizens have had access to their electronic health record. This system is already used by 47% of citizens and 95% of doctors. In Italy, e-health tools have saved “one euro out of every 9 euros” spent on healthcare. And of course in Greece, electronic prescribing, which began in 2010 and is now almost universally implemented by doctors and pharmacies, is estimated to have saved 3.5 billion euros in pharmaceutical spending.
These are some examples of good practice of e-health programs implemented in Europe and aimed at providing better services to citizens, on the one hand, and saving resources for health systems, on the other. As the Commissioner responsible for Digital Technologies, Neelie Kroes, specifically emphasized in "K", it is estimated that the full development of mobile-health (practice of medicine supported by mobile phones, tablets, etc.) in Europe alone could save 90 billion euros in healthcare costs in 2017.
"In recent years, we have seen a rapid development in digital technology, which no longer only affects industry and governments, but also the way citizens behave. We all have mobile phones, many have computers, tablets or other devices. The challenge is how we can use the new data in the field of health services," notes to "K" Ms. Kroes, who was in Greece a few days ago to participate in the work of the eHealth Forum 2014, which was co-organized by the Ministry of Health (General Secretariat of Public Health) and the EU.
As she points out, e-health tools have three different "fields of action": they are aimed at healthy people at the prevention level, since through IT applications they have the ability to check health indicators but also receive recommendations for wellness and diet, etc. They are also aimed at patients who, through their remote monitoring by health professionals, avoid many visits to the doctor and waiting in health units. The third field concerns the elderly. "In Europe we are getting older and we all want to continue living independently as much as possible. Digital technology can help with this, e.g. with devices to monitor heart function, blood pressure, with systems that warn when it is time for your medication, etc.".
The establishment two years ago of the eHealth Network, within the framework of the European community, in which representatives of the EU countries participate, is towards cooperation within the community by exchanging experiences from the implementation of eHealth programs and their expansion to other regions of the continent. In addition, the EU helps to finance innovation through the “Horizon 2020” program. Over the next six years, with “Horizon 2020” the EU has secured over one billion euros to support research and innovation in eHealth and information and communications technology related to aging.
“E-health can also become an exportable product,” Ms. Kroes points out. “If we are successful in this type of approach, our industry can also produce the corresponding products. And then the world is our market!” Finally, Ms. Kroes, speaking to “K”, advises member states to invest in innovation through youth entrepreneurship programs (start-ups) but also in the industry in the field of e-health, as well as to invest in broadband infrastructure. But also to ensure that health professionals embrace new technologies. In other words, “to be future-oriented”.
