ICT for Societal Challenges - European Commission - Europa

The Digital Agenda for Europe has defined a number of objectives, including
the implementation of interoperable electronic patient records which can be safely
accessed and exchanged across the EU. By 2020, telemedicine services should be
widely deployed. The eHealth Network of Member States’ representatives works on
these objectives, and the eHealth Governance Initiative develops the strategies,
priorities, recommendations and guidelines to deliver eHealth across Europe. The
eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020 supports Member States in bringing forward
interoperable eHealth services within and between national healthcare systems. Its
many measures, from personal health management to research into personalised
medicine, put patients at the centre of healthcare.
When it comes to ICT for Ageing Well, the Digital Agenda for Europe reinforces
the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Joint Programme (JP). It aims to improve the
quality of life of elderly people and strengthen the competitiveness of European
industry in this field. It does so by funding applied research and R&D on ICT enhanced
products and services for ageing well. Launched in 2008, this programme involves
23 European countries and has a total budget of € 700 million over six years –
50% provided by the AAL partner countries and the EU’s 7th Research Framework
Programme and the other half by participating private organisations.
To support and bootstrap the structural reform of care, the Commission launched
the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA)
in the context of the EU 2020 flagship Innovation Union. Partners from all over
Europe (end users, public authorities, industry, healthcare professionals and others)
cooperate on concrete actions to improve elderly people’s quality of life, support the
long-term sustainability of Europe’s health and social systems, foster EU growth and
EU industry expansion in the field of active and healthy ageing. The final aim of the
Partnership is to increase the healthy lifespan of EU citizens by 2 years by 2020.
Other funding sources for health and ageing well can be found in the Competitiveness
and Innovation Framework Programme, the Public Health Programme, the
Structural Funds, the Programmes for Research and Technological Development
(7 th Framework Programme and Horizon 2020).
Patients in the driving seat:
personalised care and mobile health
Better care often starts with a better diagnosis, based on the patient’s health history
and current situation. ICT helps health professionals to improve the accuracy and
the timeliness of their diagnosis and to fine-tune treatments to the patient’s specific
needs and profile.
7