Our life expectancy is longer compared to the past, hence the cost of health is growing substantially. In 2050 will be about 9% of EU GDP. The digital transformation, affirms EU Commission, can be our ally to maintain cost efficient and high quality health and social care, as it empowers people of every age to better manage their health and quality of life, in any place.
Under the Digital Single Market Strategy the EU promoted different initiatives in two main fields: eHealth and Active Ageing.
eHealth
The first EU eHealth Action Plan 2004-2011 covered electronic prescriptions and health cards to new information systems that reduce waiting times and errors, in order to facilitate a more harmonious and complementary European approach to eHealth.
The second eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020 (see the prior public consultation) operates in the context of Article 14 of Directive 2011/24 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.
Together with the eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020, the Commission issued a Staff Working Document (SWD) on Telemedicine to help deal with the legal aspects related to data protection rules, privacy matters and reimbursement.
Active ageing
Europeans over 65 already have a spending capacity of over €3,000 billion and the number of people with age-related impairments will grow from 68 million in 2005 to 84 million in 2020. Europe boasts an innovative ICT industry with large companies but also innovative SMEs, developing many new products and services. In view of the market opportunities arising from public and consumer expenditure related to the rights, needs and demands of the growing population over 50, the European Commission has launched a Silver Economy strategy.
To know more about projects under this framework download this document: eHealth projects