Future Communication on Digital Transformation of Health and Care

In his opening speech, Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety pointed out that digital technologies have the potential to transform our public health and healthcare systems. Against this background, digital tools can be used to promote, prevent and protect: “Digital solutions can facilitate the effective and secure flow and sharing of data. This helps health professionals and patients ensure better diagnosis and follow up, better management of complex diseases, and better efficiency of care. This is particularly important in the case of multi-morbid patients.”

Despite these benefits, the implementation and uptake of digital health solutions has been slow. This is the reason why the Commission will soon present a Communication that will help EU Member States and regions benefit more from digital solutions in health.

The Communication will focus on three pillars:

1. Citizens' secure access to health data and sharing of their health data across borders;
2. Connecting health data to advance research, disease prevention, treatment and personalised health and care;
3. Using digital tools to foster citizen empowerment and person-centred care.

Background 

A Commission Communication is a policy document with no mandatory authority. The Commission publishes a Communication to set out its own thinking on a topical issue, here on the digital transformation of health and care.

For more information find the full speech here and the event documents here.