Many things are happening in the European digital health and care domain. A European exchange format for Electronic Health Records is getting closer and more and more countries are joining the declaration to share access to their genomic databanks. Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Andriukaitis unveils his ambitious view on all of this in ICT&health magazine.

“Giving access to personal health data everywhere in Europe. Joining big data for genomic research and for detecting outbreaks of infectious diseases. Funding high-level digital research projects to develop new pharmaceuticals and fight rare diseases. The European Commission has an ambitious view on the future of digital health”, ICT&healthmagazine writes introducing an interview with Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis (Health and Food Safety). The Commissioner is convinced that the digital transformation of health and care will improve the lives of all Europeans. For him, it is key to tackle the common societal challenges in the EU: “Only by joining forces at a European level, we can maximise the potential of the digital revolution. Embracing digital technology in a strategic and coordinated manner can increase the well-being of millions of citizens and radically change the way health and care services are delivered to patients.”

One step closer to the European Electronic Health Record

And things are moving. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has recently adopted a positive opinion on the European Commission’s Communication entitled ‘Transformation of Health and Care in the Digital Single Market, empowering citizens and building a healthier society’. 

Concerning the first priority of the Communication, which promotes secure access to citizens own health data across the EU, the EESC endorses the Commission’s efforts to support the development and adoption of a European electronic health record exchange format, so EU countries can continue their digitisation efforts in healthcare ‘on the same page’. If everything goes well, this format is expected by the end of this year.

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Article Source: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/digital-transformation-health-and-care-will-improve-lives-all-europeans