eHealth Governance Initiative Joint Action

Objective: 

The overall objective of the proposed initiative is to actively contribute to the shaping of the eHealth political agenda at EU level, with a specific focus on interoperability. The member States by strengthening their cooperation with the other stakeholders, aim to increase the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through implementation and deployment of interoperable eHealth services across the borders.

Background:

The eHealth Action Plan in 2004 defined a policy context in which cooperation could develop, with the support of the European Commission. Previous Ministerial declarations, following the yearly High Level Conference on eHealth, expressed the necessity and the will of the Member States to cooperate more closely to implement and deploy interoperable eHealth services and to address the challenges linked to eHealth services in a coordinated manner. This cooperation was further strengthened when the Draft Council Conclusions on Safe and efficient healthcare through eHealth, were adopted by the EPSCO Council on the 1st of December, 2009.  Following this political document the Member states recognized and agreed upon the importance of further developing the eHealth Governance Initiative to implement and deploy interoperable eHealth services within and between the healthcare systems of Europe.