Last update: August 15, 1996

The European Health Telematics Observatory is a service to the health telematics sector, offering a co-ordinated approach to the dissemination and visibility of project results, allowing a more efficient integration of telematics within the different health systems in Europe. It will contribute to the deployment of health telematics technologies, applications and standards. The key objective is to become a bridge between supply and demand. On the demand side it will enable decision-makers to choose appropriate telematics solutions, and help user groups to define their requirements. Suppliers, industry and, specifically, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will benefit by delivering more appropriate products. To both, EHTO will offer well-structured and up-to-date information acting in synergy with other support actions, especially those at the overall telematics programme level,e.g. CONCORD, ETHOS and ASSENT. By adding value to the information provided, and tailoring their messages to the specific needs of policy makers

and health professionals, EHTO will facilitate the development of usable products in the health sector from various generic telematic services. Introduction The rapid changes that have taken place in the field of telematics have had an important knock-on effect in the health sector. Initially, the introduction of computerisation began to have significant effects on the management of healthcare, but gradually the impact on clinical care began to be felt, especially in relation to the provision of laboratory and radiology services. In parallel with these changes we have seen the development of telemedicine, with the appearance of new types of services such as distant consultation, linking practitioners in remote areas to specialist services and facilitating the process of seeking a second opinion from a distant centre of excellence. The Third Framework Programme, under the management of DG XIIIC, gave a substantial boost to the interest and activity in this area by means of co-funded projects.

The resulting co-operation and exchange of ideas created, progressively, a coherent group of people involved in health telematics research, development and implementation in Europe, known familiarly as the "AIM Community." The AIM (Advanced Informatics in Medicine) Programme marked a milestone at its final conference held in Lisbon in December 1994, when a wide range of issues were discussed and analysed against the backcloth of a major exhibition of health telematics products. In parallel with these events a number of major reports appeared which marked the strategic importance of these developments. In 1994 two key documents were produced by the Commission, the Delors White Book and the Bangemann Report on the Global Information Society. Another important document in this context was the Green Paper, which concentrated attention on issues such as technology deployment. These three publications represented an acknowledgement of, and a contribution to, the impact of the new information and communication technologies.

Broadly speaking, they sketched a transition to the 21st Century founded upon innovative information-based scenarios, where technology deployment, dissemination and access would become catalysts in the socio-economic development of Europe. These three publications, and G7 meetings, have served to highlight the need for accurate and up-to-date data, readily available and in usable form. The international co-operation required to develop this information infrastructure needs to focus on regulatory framework and the consequences of the information society on economic, employment and lifestyle issues. Rationale and Mission From the experience obtained under the Third Framework Programme it has become clear that little information is available about the overall impact of health telematics on the health care sector in particular and more generally on society. Strategic and specific evaluations of the products and prototypes produced within the Health Telematics Programme, will constitute the first important stage of the work to be accomplished. Analysis of the results of projects, according to their impact on more transversal issues,

will be a second essential element of this work. For example, this will involve looking at economic and social impacts, relationship to EU Policies, quality aspects, legal, security and ethical issues. Given the rapid evolution of the sector, a strategic market and innovation watch represents another essential component of any attempt to obtain a wider view of impact. The change from the Third to the Fourth Framework Programme is characterised by greater emphasis on dissemination and validation activities and a move towards implementation. The Commission is eager to promote coherence in the fragmented health telematics market by the achievement of a "critical mass". Harnessing regional/national energies and promoting trans-European practices depends on easy access to information on available prototypes and products. Knowledge regarding the wider effects and details of the state of the art in health telematics combined with a range of appropriate indicators should also be available. All this information requires professional organisation, attractive packaging and distribution using a variety of approaches including the latest technologies. A number of particular needs have emerged, clearly, during the Third Framework Programme.

Firstly, health professionals (the end-users) require information permitting them to develop an insight into what is happening in the sector and its likely impact on their activities. Secondly, health policy-makers need to form a broad overview of progress in health telematics to allow them to develop a coherent approach to the integration of these technologies within the overall context of health planning and management. Finally, European industry needs both general and specific information which will facilitate assessment of the maturity and market potential of their products and how to design strategies to optimise returns over the intermediate to long term. In the light of these clearly recognised needs, the European Health Telematics Observatory will collect, analyse and make available in coherent and user-friendly format, a wide range of information on developments in the field of health telematics, using a variety of methods and tools including print and electronic publications, workshops and a range of multi-media services. cont ...

 

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