ICT for better Healthcare in Europe

Delivering better and more efficient healthcare services. This is how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are helping you, your doctor(s), your pharmacist and your hospital take better care of your health.

Thanks to eHealth, doctors can access patients’ medical records more easily, get immediate access to test results from the laboratory, and deliver prescriptions directly to pharmacists. Patients with heart problems can carry monitors which alert their doctor if their condition changes, yet allow them to continue with their daily business.

At EU level, the introduction of eHealth services is facilitating access to healthcare, whatever the geographical location, thanks to innovative telemedicine and personal health systems. eHealth is also breaking down barriers, enabling health service providers (public authorities, hospitals) from different Member States to work more closely together. If a particular treatment can be provided to a patient more effectively in another country, eHealth systems make it simpler to organise and carry out treatment abroad. Suppliers of eHealth tools – such as databases for patient records, mobile monitors which transmit data automatically, or handling systems for patient call centres – also benefit from the development of a European market in the sector, which has enabled them to build a strong base from which they can tackle the global market.