Category: eHealth

In June, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, delivered a Keynote Speech at the European Patients Forum 2022. The speech focused on the proposal to set up a European Health Data Space that will support the work under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The European Health Data Space aims to improve health outcomes and in general the health system, through the pooling and sharing of knowledge, experience, and data.

The link to the speech and more info on the European Health Data Space can be found here:

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_22_4008

This viewpoint emphasizes the importance of improving digital health equity, a process that requires not only access to digital infrastructure but also the design of digital health solutions always considering the needs of end users. Recommendations, for digital health equity were provided in different domains, including individual, family/home, the community, services, and policies (Figure).

The link to the article can be found here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34677577/

As part of the Project Result, we have established a literature review for each partner country to facilitate the identification of Modules related to digital skills in the health sector. Cyprus’ Literature Review revealed that there is a great space of improvement in the DESI dimensions in Cyprus, including Human capital, Connectivity, Integration of digital technology, and Digital public services. This is potentially attributed to the lack of IT talent and professionals or proper ICT skills education in all sectors. Furthermore, another study reported the lack of ICT courses within the nursing curricula in a public university, with university representatives supporting that such courses are not considered important in that context.

Here you can find the aforementioned references:

Digital Economy and Society Index 2021 Cyprus Report (https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/countries-digitisation-performance)

Masouras, P.P., 2016. ICT & nursing informatics skills in Cyprus’ universities undergraduate nursing curricula. International Journal of Learning and Teaching, 2(2), pp.171-177. (http://www.ijlt.org/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=121&id=545 or https://www.academia.edu/75874051/ICT_and_Nursing_Informatics_Skills_in_Cyprus_Universities_Undergraduate_Nursing_Curricula)

Financial Mirror. 2021. Cyprus lacks IT skills to go digital. [online] Available at: https://www.financialmirror.com/2021/11/03/cyprus-lacks-it-skills-to-go-digital/ [Accessed 16 May 2022].

Our literature review in Greece, revealed that Greek health professionals have lower digital skills than their European colleagues, with older professionals being more sceptical about using digital technology. A survey by the European Health Parliament showed that the majority of young doctors do not feel familiar with digital systems. Uniheal project aims to develop training and educational material to equip clinicians with the necessary digital skills.

You can follow the project’s updates here:

https://unihealplus.eu/

and in our social media profiles

What factors are accelerating convergence of digital technologies and health care delivery models?

Deloitte health care leaders recently shared, through the “2022 Global Health Care Outlook” report, their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities arising from digital transformation and HCDM convergence. The discussion is available here:

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Life-Sciences-Health-Care/gx-health-care-outlook-Final.pdf

Shaping Europe’s digital future:  This infographic gives an overview of the European Commission policy on transformation of health care in the Digital Single Market.

You can find it here:

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/infographic-digital-health-and-care-eu