The ageing of the European population will increase healthcare costs by 1 to 2 per cent of GDP, and run up against a healthcare labour shortage of 20 million by 2025. Digital innovation can help manage the problem – but it requires better policy coordination around the EU, according to a draft “blueprint” for action to be discussed at an EU conference Nov. 5-8 in Brussels.
The report outlines several possible actions that the Commission and member-states could take to coordinate their digital health policies better, including a three-year plan for action. It is written by a broad group of industry, regional government and academic organisations, many of them involved in the EU’s Innovation Partnership on healthy ageing. It is intended to be the basis for discussion at a big conference on the topic organised by the Commission, the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions.
From the report:
“To seize the opportunity and accelerate the uptake of digital health and care innovation at scale, the EU must develop a coherent vision shared amongst industry, policy makers, innovators, professionals and user communities. A vision that clearly identifies particular market-needs in the health and social care sector, that aggregates actions to overcome fragmentation and that defines joint strategies to maximise the benefits for the citizen, the health and social care delivery systems and the economy.
“The Blueprint actions are also designed to stimulate investment (public and private) in this market for digital health, connected care and wellbeing products and services. A market that can make an even greater contribution to economic growth, jobs and investment in Europe, and contribute to its competitiveness on the international scene.”
“Blueprint: Digital Transformation of Health and Care for the Ageing Society” was published 26 September 2016 on the Website for the upcoming EU conference Nov. 5-8. Authorship of this “draft” document is rather opaque and carries disclaimers that it does not represent official EU policy, but is motivated by the EU’s multi-stakeholder ‘Innovation Partnership’ on healthy ageing.
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