|
|
|
|
|
Updated: Feb 1, 97 |
Conclusions | |
Figure 22 shows how this situation became much more clearer under the 3rd framework programme, as the vertical sectors (transport, health care, education, administrations, etc.) could easily perceive how they fitted-in the subprogrammes, and their participation increased.
Finally, in coinciding with national strategies and policies being elaborated at the time, that would also take into account the technological and economical issues at stake, the programme as a whole arrived to a much more mature situation, where the involvement of users would be encouraged. This was the natural transition preparing the ground for the 4th framework programme.
The above transition and evolution can be described using some key words and descriptors that summarise the prevailing philosophy, at each concrete period of time. This is depicted in Figure 23, which also gives the reference to some key technology elements that were taken into consideration along the different phases of the AIM and health telematics initiatives in Europe. This refers to the activities supported by the European Commission, but also in view of the external background and the degree of technological progresses experienced in the market of information and communication technology.
Examples of the influence of AIM projects results on the health telematics scene in Europe.
Most of them are very important and give the opportunity to industry to operate in a significantly less fragmented environment (industry should understand the message and the challenges). Two of them could appear as only small steps (KAVAS and GAMES) but that would be an error of perspective: they arise in a field which is just emerging and they are needed to prepare for the "quantum" leaps of the future:
| Project | Before the project started | After the project finished |
|---|---|---|
| ESTEEM | No industrial telematics platform for collaborative work in Electro-myography | - A collection of well documented cases for agreement on common EMG procedures and diagnosis criteria in Europe - A telematics product incorporated in instruments built by one important vendor |
| ATIM | No co-ordinated approach to assessment of health telematics applications | - An informal European assessment "community" - A book, widely distributed and advertised, on guidelines and examples of assessment in the fields of imaging and of decision support |
| ACOSTA | No strategy in France for the implementation of health telematics | - A permanent show-room for telematics products in Paris, financed by industry - A law passed by the Health Ministry organising information sharing via telematics between health professionals |
| TELE-NURSING | Very fragmented unco-ordinated approach to nursing applications | - A European concertation body on nursing classifications - A demonstrator for integration of nursing practices in the patient record |
| MEDIREC | No agreement on medical record structure | - A consensus formation structure with strong links to the standardisation bodies |
| KAVAS II & GAMES II | No co-ordinated work on "expert systems" | - Demonstrators of a general architecture for organising and assessing the value of the information provided by the "expert systems" |
| IMPACT | Expert advice on pathology samples can only be accessed by post which can take more than a week. | - Instant reviewing of pathology slides by distant expert made possible |
| OEDIPE | No widely accepted standard for remote transmission of ECG (electrocardiographic) signals | - A standard is accepted by manufacturers of electrocardiographic equipment |
| EMDIS | No efficient way of sharing bone marrow donors characteristics in Europe | - Decreased waiting time for matching donors to recipients and adoption of common ethical rules and network access procedures |
| CARDLINK | No agreement on data-card structure for Health applications | - Wide scale adoption on insurance card in Germany. - Plans for implementation in many countries |
Figure 23: Programme evolution at a glance.
| Phase | Name | Keywords | Technology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd FP | AIM Exploratory Action | - Technology push - Research leadership - Fuzzy borders |
 |
- Informatics - Isolated subjects - Limited processing and communication capabilities |
| 3rd FP | AIM Telematics for Health Care sub-programme | - Balanced participation - Sectoral involvement - Tools development |
 |
- Data telematics - PC revolution - ISDN, ATM, etc |
| 4th FP | Telematics Applications - Health Sector | - Support to other policies - User driven - Validation, deployment |
 |
- Multimedia - Internet - Integrated applications |
The results of the AIM programme during the 3rd framework programme have been a fair number of products brought to the market or close to market in the form of validated pilots and prototypes. The interaction with the standardisation work in CEN and particularly in CEN TC 251 has been increased. A solid network of actors in the field has been expanded and reinforced. For the areas, where further work is needed, consortia have positioned themselves for a natural change towards even stronger user involvement, emphasis on multimedia and strengthening the industrial aspects.
Several projects and studies have helped clarifying the needs for and the ways to go about future international co-operation. A series of studies has helped focusing future R&D activities under the 4th Framework Programme.
At the time the AIM and telematics for health care activities were launched the health expenditure in Europe represented in average 6% of the GDP, of which 1% has been estimated to be devoted on information technology and communication. This share is likely to increase dramatically in the immediate feature, sources forecasting that it may reach 3% by the year 2000. Similarly, the number of general practitioners using IT may reach a figure close to 90% by the year 2000 (see Figure 25). In line with the challenges that those massive investments will pose and with the aim of obtaining most possible value for money invested, the AIM programme and projects have done an important contribution to help clarify the way ahead, providing in some cases powerful tools for the overall improvement of the health fabric, from prevention to cure. The undertaking is being further improved and expanded in the present phase under the 4th framework programme, with the activities supported by the Health Sector of the TELEMATICS APPLICATION PROGRAMME. Moreover, they may be in a privileged position to make, by the turn of the century, a substantial contribution to both the research endeavours under 5th framework programme, and to the deployment of solutions in real life, making possible the health and medical advances that the information society is anticipating and demanding, for the benefit of the European citizens.
| |
 |
 |
|
|
Copyright 1997 © EHTO All rights reserved This server is the only official EHTO WWW knowledge repository. Mail suggestions to: webmaster@ehto.org |