WHO to contribute to eHealth Week 2017

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will be contributing the eHealth Week event taking place in Malta in May, which organised by the health ministry as part of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council, together with the European Commission, and HIMSS-CHIME Europe.

The event will focus on the theme “Data for Health: The key to personalised sustainable care” and will particularly highlight the impact that data has on patients’ and citizens’ health.

“Member States in the WHO European Region now conclusively view eHealth as a strategic tool for policy makers to improve national health information systems under the umbrella of the European Health Information Initiative. This initiative supports countries to achieve their goals of their national Health 2020 policies,” Claudia Stein, Director of the division of information, evidence, research and innovation of WHO Regional Office for Europe, said.

Some of the topics which will be addressed during eHealth Week, taking place between 10 and 12 May, will include getting from policy to practice, as well as cross-border exchange of personal health data as the biggest challenge facing health and care professionals.

“There is much commonality between the eHealth strategies of the Commission and WHO/Europe, and eHealth week delegates will benefit from a broad view of subjects of common interest, such as the role of technology in health promotion and prevention of non-communicable diseases, the interoperability of health records across different care scenarios, the secondary use of health data for public health purposes, and support for mHealth,” Hugo Agius Muscat, Presidency coordinator for eHealth Week 2017, said.

The educational component of the conference will be divided in three different tracks, while an exhibition floor will be featured for industry leaders to present their latest innovations, products and solutions.