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Digital Agenda: Commission signs eHealth agreement with US Department of Health

Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Washington to promote a common approach on the interoperability of electronic health records and on education programmes for information technology and health professionals. Common standards and interoperability stand to create huge growth opportunities for the eHealth industry as well as having a positive impact on the safety and quality of care. A skilled health IT workforce is necessary to make the benefits of eHealth services available to patients. This agreement aims to boost the potential of the eHealth market for EU companies wishing to do business in the US and vice versa. Promoting the use of eHealth technologies, with a view to improving the quality of health care, reducing medical costs and fostering independent living, including in remote places, is key objective of the Digital Agenda for Europe.

The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding is to create new markets and growth opportunities for industry in the eHealth sector in both the EU and the US. The ICT sector drives 50% of productivity growth in the EU and eHealth has a great potential for market growth. It can stimulate innovation in healthcare systems and traditionally strong healthcare industries such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The Memorandum stresses the need for a joint vision on internationally recognised and utilised interoperability standards for electronic health record systems and increased competences and mobility of IT professionals. Such common standards are important to achieve widespread interoperable eHealth services so that eHealth can reach its full global market potential.
Potential activities foreseen within the framework of the Memorandum include the following:
- exchanges of information on ongoing activities that are carried out directly by the Commission and HHS, and that are relevant to the promotion of eHealth,
- exchanges of delegations and specialists, selected with the endorsement of the Commission and HHS, for example in the framework of the Commission’s eHealth Governance Initiative,
- establishment of joint working groups to identify specific strategies for achieving shared goals, and
- collaboratively organised meetings, scientific conferences, workshops and/or symposia.

The partnership between the EU and the US, the two world leaders in eHealth, sends a strong signal to all stakeholders that common standards and interoperability bring opportunities for a global approach for the benefit of patients, health systems and the market.

 

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Additional relevant information:

• Lead Market Initiative
• eHealth Governance Initiative
• ICT for Health
• eHealth Week 2011 Budapest, Hungary (10-12 May 2011)

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