Hans Kluge, Division of Health Systems and Public Health, WHO/Europe

Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Aron Anderson, Adventurer, Motivational and inspirational speaker

Panellists:

Olzhas Abishev, Vice-Minister of Healthcare, Kazakhstan

Hon. Chris Fearne,Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, Malta

Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Ellen Trane Nørby, Minister of Health, Denmark

Mark Pearson, Deputy Director, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

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Moderator: Ilona Kickbusch, Adjunct professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and director of the Global Health Centre

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Abstract:

Digital health plays a significant role in achieving the key public health priorities put forth by the European health policy framework Health 2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by strengthening the capacities of Member States to achieve better, more equitable, sustainable health and well-being for all throughout the life course.

Universal health coverage (UHC) (Sustainable Development Goal target 3.8) encompasses principles of equity and social justice arising from the Health for All movement of the 1970s and enshrined in the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata on primary health care. A renewed commitment to the Declaration was made on its 40th anniversary at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2018.

Digital health is a powerful enabler for the achievement of UHC through its ability to:

• extend the scope, transparency and accessibility of health services and health information;
• widen the population base capable of accessing the available health services (including marginalized and underserved populations);
• improve public health surveillance;
• facilitate training of the health workforce; and
• offer innovation and create efficiency gains in the operation of health systems and the provision of health care.

Much has already been said about the role of technology in “disrupting” health, that is, transforming the way in which health services and the information that underpins them are accessed and delivered, and empowering individuals as part of a shift towards integrated, people-centred care. Digital health offers the promise of democratizing health care – ensuring that health services are accessible and affordable to all populations, specifically those most vulnerable and in need.

Ultimately, however, investments in digital health compete for precious health system resources. Piecemeal investment approaches and shifting political landscapes are notorious in leading to costly information technology failures and lost opportunities for health system reform. To maximize the impact of digital health in order to accelerate the achievement of UHC, Member States require a more consistent and standardized approach to the adoption and scale-up of technologies in health. This necessitates a better understanding of how these technologies are managed – in terms of both their governance and financial sustainability – and the establishment of trust among the public and health-care professionals in their use.

In this panel, we will solicit the opinions of some of Europe’s top decision-makers in health to understand the challenges faced in establishing population-wide digital health services, and how they are building the capacity of health systems to harness the promise of data-driven health care. They will share the actions they see as essential for accelerating the achievement of UHC and the 2030 Agenda through efforts to digitalize national health systems and to ensure that “no one is left behind”.

Tanya Herfurth, Founding board member, Young Leaders for Health

Abstract:

The social and demographic challenges facing the WHO European Region are placing a range of new demands on national health systems, and on the decision-makers who are entrusted to ensure their continued and sustainable operation.

Demographic change and population ageing, changing profiles and burden of disease, increasing costs of health care, issues in health workforce sustainability, growing patient demands – these drivers are challenging the European values of equity, access and universalism upon which our health systems and our public health services are founded.

In this session, we will look to examples from European leaders to answer the questions, “What are some of the key success factors in governing national programmes for the digitalization of health systems and health service delivery?” and “What will it take to be a successful leader of the digital future in what is often a highly complex and politicized landscape in health?”

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Speakers:

Lars-Torsten Larsson, Chief Medical Officer, National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden

Ofir Marer, Head of Regulations, Digital Health, Israel`s Ministry of Health

Claudia Pagliari, Director of Global eHealth, University of Edinburgh

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Moderator: Ihor Perehinets, Programme Manager, Health Systems Governance, Division of Health Systems and Public Health, WHO/Europe

Abstract:

There are notable challenges in developing interoperable national digital health systems and service architectures that connect across subnational boundaries and link the various levels of the health system together. Having access to the necessary technology and a stable telecommunications infrastructure are both crucial, as are governance, policy, legislation and a comprehensive standards framework.

In this session, we will examine examples of how national digital health architectures are being designed to create cohesive, interoperable health systems now and for the future to deliver upon the promise of “right person, right place, right time” for the availability of health information and to provide safe, consistent and integrated health services to populations.

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Speakers:

Ramesh Krishnamurthy, Senior Advisor, Department of Information, Evidence and Research, World Health Organization

Arlete Monteiro, IT Director, SPMS Portugal

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Moderator: Rune Pedersen, Department Manager, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

Countries of northern Europe are frequently recognized as world leaders in the design and adoption of digital services supporting government, health and social care. With some of the world’s highest rates of digital service adoption, ubiquitous access to high-speed internet, and advanced digital skills and education¹, these societies are creating new modes of health service delivery and new opportunities to engage citizens in the management of their own health and well-being.

In this session, key representatives from health-responsible ministries in different northern European Member States provide their perspectives on the tangible and intangible factors that have contributed to their national digital health success stories, including strategic approaches to the implementation of integrated, people-centred health services and the directions being taken in creating sustainable and equitable health systems of the future.

¹Measuring the information society report 2018. Geneva: International Telecommunications Union; 2018.

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Speakers:

Nanna Skovgaard, Head of Division, Health Digitalisation and Innovation, Ministry of Health, Denmark

Priit Tohver, Advisor, Digital services innovation, Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonia

Sari Palojoki, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland

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Moderator: Line Linstad, Coordinator, WHO Collaborating Centre for Digital Health and Telemedicine, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence (AI) – machines capable of solving problems that normally require human intelligence – has in the past decade seen an enormous rise of interest due to significant advances in effectiveness and use. The health sector, one of the most important sectors for societies and economies worldwide, is a particularly interesting one for AI applications, given the ongoing digitalization of all types of health information.

The potential for AI assistance in the health domain is immense because AI can support medical decision-making at reduced costs, everywhere. However, due to the complexity of AI algorithms, it is difficult to distinguish good from bad AI-based solutions, and to understand their strengths and weaknesses, which is crucial for clarifying responsibilities and for building trust.¹

In this session, we will hear from some of the world’s leading experts in the design and application of AI in health systems and health service delivery. They will capture and explain the immense social and political debate surrounding the use of AI in health, and provide insight into the practical application of these approaches in health systems and public health contexts by addressing the relevant policy, regulatory, ethical and governance aspects for Member States to consider.

¹Salathé M, Wiegand T, Wenzel M, Kishnamurthy R. Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health White Paper. Geneva: International Telecommunication Union; 2018 (https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/ai4h/Documents/FG-AI4H_Whitepaper.pdf).

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Speakers:

Indra Joshi, Digital Health and AI, Clinical Lead, NHS England

Ramesh Krishnamurthy, Senior Advisor, Department of Information, Evidence and Research, World Health Organization

Kazem Rahimi, Deputy Director, George Institute for Global Health

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Moderator: Stein Olav Skrøvseth, Director, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

A 2014 report by the European Union eHealth Stakeholder Group examining the potential relationship between health inequalities and digital health highlights: “The ultimate risk is that the flaws of the traditional health system will be reflected and potentially even aggravated online. This would deepen the rift between socio-economic groups, in particular between the well-to-do and educated and those who, for whatever reason, experience difficulty navigating Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled environments and consequently have less information and fewer quality services at their disposal.”¹

A 2013 article by Kosinska and Marschang also raises the key question of “how to turn eHealth into an enabler as part of sustainable and inclusive health systems that can alleviate existing health inequalities without being in competition with other healthcare needs”.²

In this panel discussion, we will look to public health leaders to provide their perspectives on the contributing role of digital health in reducing or exacerbating health inequalities. They will highlight technical, social and policy-based issues of relevance and propose ways we can work together to ensure that the digitalization of health systems does not inadvertently create new or exacerbate existing inequalities, leading to an unwanted “digital divide” in health.

¹Health inequalities and eHealth. Report of the eHealth Stakeholder Group. Final version, 21 February 2014. Auderghem: European Commission Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT); 2014.

²Kosinska M, Marschang S. E-fit for purpose. Public Service Review. March 2013.

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Speakers:

Vesna Miranovic, Director general, Ministry of Health, Montenegro

Cristian-Vasile Grasu, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health, Romania

Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, President, EUPHA

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Moderator: Sascha Marschang, Director of Operations and Membership, European Public Health Alliance

Abstract:

Integrated care is an organizing principle for care delivery with the aim of achieving improved patient care through better coordination of services provided. “Integration” encompasses the combined set of methods, processes and models that seek to bring this about. Integrated care seeks to address fragmentation in patient services and to enable better coordinated and more continuous care, frequently for an ageing population with increasing incidence of chronic disease¹.

In this session, we will examine the role of digital technologies in enabling integrated care and look at enablers and barriers to their implementation. We will draw upon examples of where integrated care is applied, how care teams and individual patients utilize technology within integrated care environments, and the impact for the operation of the broader health system.

¹Shaw S, Rosen R, Rumbold B. What is integrated care? Research report. London: Nuffield Trust; 2011 (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/files/2017-01/what-is-integrated-care-report-web-final.pdf).

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Speakers:

Gro Karine Rosvold Berntsen, Chief researcher, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Nick Guldemond, Professor Integrated Care & Technology, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management/I.M. SechenovFirst Moscow State Medical University

Antoni Dedeu, Director of Programmes, International Foundation for Integrated Care

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Moderator: Rune Pedersen, Department Manager, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Panellists:

Stein Olav Skrøvseth, Director, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Ed Kelley, Director, Service Delivery and Safety, World Health Organization

Kalle Killar, Deputy Secretary General, E-services Development and Innovation, Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonia

Patty Kostkova, Associate Professor and Centre Director, University College London

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Moderator: Ilona Kickbusch, Adjunct professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and director of the Global Health Centre

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Keynote: Digitally Transformed Health Systems: Innovation in Practice

Ran Balicer, Director, Health Policy Planning, Clalit Health Services and Founding Director, Clalit Research Institute

Day 1 recap:

Hans Kluge, Division of Health Systems and Public Health, WHO/Europe

Speakers:

Maritta Perälä-Heape, Professor of practice in data-enabled care and innovation ecosystems, Director, Centre for Health and Technology, University of Oulu, Finland

Morten Elbæk Petersen, CEO, Sundhed.dk (The Danish national e-Health Portal)

Clemens Auer, Special Envoy for Health, Federal Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection, Austria

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Moderator: Nick Fahy, Senior researcher, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford

Abstract:

National electronic prescription (e-prescription) systems are one of the most prevalent digital health services in Member States of the WHO European Region. WHO’s third global survey on electronic health, conducted in 2015, revealed that of the 27 countries that reported having a national electronic health record system, 70% of these (19 countries) were linked to a pharmacy information system such as e-prescription. Other evidence indicates that at least one third of all European Union Member States have fully functioning e-prescription systems.

In this session, we will showcase examples of national e-prescription systems from Estonia, Spain (Catalonia) and Sweden to gain insight into their technological and functional design and their broader role in linking the various parts of the health system.

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Speakers:

Maria Bäcklund Hassel, International Coordinator, Swedish E-health Agency

Pilar López Calahorra, Manager, Pharmaceutical Services, Catalan Health Service, Spain

Kitty Kubo, Innovation Lead, Estonian Health Insurance Fund

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Moderator: Monika Johansen, Department Manager, Future Health Record, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

The use of mobile technologies in health (mHealth) is having a profound impact on the way in which health services and health behaviour change initiatives are being delivered, health information is accessed, and health monitoring and management are carried out.

In this session, we take a broad look at examples of how mHealth is being actively used to strengthen national health systems, support healthcare professionals and facilitate health service delivery in low and high resource settings in European Member States. We examine the current factors impeding widescale mHealth adoption in the region and the steps countries can take to address these.

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Speakers:

Anna Frellsen, CEO, Maternity Foundation

Sameer Pujari, Be Healthy, Be Mobile initiative, World Health Organization

Josué Sallent, Director, Fundació TIC Salut Social, Spain

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Moderator: Gunn Hilde Rotvold, Senior Adviser, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

Across the WHO European Region, innovative digital solutions have supported health systems to monitor population health outcomes and adopt new models of people-centred care. This has allowed multidisciplinary primary care teams to coordinate and collaborate on patients’ needs through information exchange and critical decision support, improve clinical practice and individualize treatment plans, improve quality, increase accessibility to specialized services in remote and rural areas, and empower patients to engage in managing their own conditions.

In this session, we will address the following policy questions.

1. How can technology be used to organize health services in a more people-centred manner?
2. There is no universal health coverage without primary health care – is it possible to use technology to strengthen primary health care and give access to more people?
3. How can technology allow countries to leapfrog to tackle the changing nature of demand due to noncommunicable diseases?

Following a short keynote presentation, we will use country cases to illustrate innovative digital solutions in Europe and address the above questions. We will explore possible solutions to challenges in practice, and discuss policy options for using digitalization to pursue health for all.

Resources

European Framework for Action on Integrated Health Services Delivery (EFFA IHSD)
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/health-services-delivery/european-framework-for-action-on-integrated-health-services-delivery-effa-ihsd

Health systems respond to noncommunicable diseases: time for ambition (2018)
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/health-systems-response-to-ncds/publications/2018/health-systems-respond-to-noncommunicable-diseases-time-for-ambition-2018

Public Health Panorama, Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2018 – Primary health care: time to accelerate
http://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/public-health-panorama/journal-issues/volume-4,-issue-4,-december-2018

Abstract:

This workshop will use a unique facilitation methodology known as LEGO® Serious Play® to foster open discussion among Member States. Participants will examine a complex problem that does not have a clear answer (that is, advancing a regional vision for digitalization of health systems) by focusing on Member State priorities, barriers, enablers, and a regional direction for accelerating progress in national digital health adoption. By participating, Member States will gain insight not only into their own vision for digital health, but also into the vision of their fellow Member States and common principles for moving forward with the development of digital health in the Region.

Abstract:

This workshop will use a unique facilitation methodology known as LEGO® Serious Play® to foster open discussion among Member States. Participants will examine a complex problem that does not have a clear answer (that is, advancing a regional vision for digitalization of health systems) by focusing on Member State priorities, barriers, enablers, and a regional direction for accelerating progress in national digital health adoption. By participating, Member States will gain insight not only into their own vision for digital health, but also into the vision of their fellow Member States and common principles for moving forward with the development of digital health in the Region.

Abstract:

Towards shared objectives in an evolving marriage.

“The promise of digital health will not be achieved if its development is left to market forces alone.”
– Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Digital health could transform the way in which people are supported to lead healthier lives, but how will the marriage of digital health and public health unfold?

It has become increasingly clear that universal health coverage cannot be achieved without the support of digital health, which can help provide services to remote populations and underserved communities, facilitate training of the health workforce, provide accurate and timely patient information through electronic health records, and so much more. Yet the promise and potential of digital health cannot be achieved if development of the technology is guided solely by market forces. How do we ensure that corporate interests and public health objectives go hand in hand?

Against this backdrop, we invite you to explore with us the extent to which key governance mechanisms to guide the development of digital health are present in Member States, and the extent to which digital health and public health communities are working together to co-create a healthy and fair future.

Abstract:

Effective gathering and analysis of health-system performance data are crucial factors for evidence-based decision-making in health. However, far too often, health decision-makers at all levels lack tools and approaches to act upon existing health data, and have no concrete, sector-wide strategy for future health information integration. This leads to the perpetuation of inefficiencies in health systems, which result in avoidable resource waste, a poor evidence base upon which to formulate investment decisions and reduced quality of treatment outcomes.

In this session, we will examine national approaches to health analytics that are revolutionizing the way in which health data is viewed, used and acted upon. Examples will also be shown that demonstrate how this insight creates new value propositions for health information, and support the development of health policies that address the most relevant issues and serve the most vulnerable population groups.

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Speakers:

Eleonora Harwich, Director of Research and Head of Digital and Tech Innovation, Reform.uk

Patrick Black, Senior Health Data Analyst, Research & Development and Health Analytics Division, Department of Health, Ireland

Mikalai Ramanau, Clinical Decision Support System Specialist, E-healthcare development of the Republic of Belarus

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Moderator: Fabrizio Carinci, Adjunct Professor of Biostatistics, University of Bologna

Abstract:

Health analytics and data integration are unlocking the value of health systems performance data for decision makers at all levels of the health system. New methods of presenting and visualizing data for health, including those data originating from outside routine health information systems, offer exciting new possibilities for monitoring, insight and forecasting.

But do we really know what information key health decision-makers are looking for in making evidence-based decisions on health policy and investments in the health system? Do they have access to the data, tools and skills required to draw knowledge from the “ocean” of information available to them, or is the real value and insight being lost in a “mountain” of detail?

In this session we take a different approach to addressing these questions through an open, interactive and informal dialogue with key decision-makers to better understand how they see and use (or don’t use!) the health information which is made available to them digitally, where there are gaps, and how we can build capacity in Europe to take a more predictive and proactive approach to using information for decision-making in health.

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Speakers:

Miklós Szócska, Semmelweis University

Charles Alessi, Senior Adviser, Public Health England and Chief Clinical Officer, HIMSS

Ran Balicer, Director, Health Policy Planning, Clalit Health Services and Founding Director, Clalit Research Institute

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Moderator: Susannah Robinson, Consultant, World Health Organization

Abstract:

The emergence of data-driven and automation technologies in health systems and public health is giving new impetus to the establishment of solid and transparent ethics frameworks to guide and support their safe adoption and use. More discussion and understanding are needed in developing a way forward. At the same time, it is important to recognize that health can readily benefit from the substantial thinking and ethics practices already developed by other sectors as early adopters of these technology approaches.

This session will highlight the role of ethics in the development and adoption of future digital solutions in health and to understand best practices for how national ethics governance for health systems can be established so as to be adequately equipped to tackle the challenges which the future of digital health systems and information sharing, will undoubtedly hold.

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Speakers:

John Oates, Snr Lecturer (Developmental Psychology), Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, Open University

Petra Wilson, Managing Director Health Connect Partners, Senior Advisor for Healthcare, FTI Consulting

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Moderator: Anne Torill Nordsletta, Department Manager, Health Data Analytics, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Keynote:

Hal Wolf, President and CEO, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

Panellists:

Walter Ricciardi, Full Professor, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Roma

Usman Khan, Executive Director, European Health Management Association

Elias Mossialos, Professor of Health Policy, London School of Economics & Imperial College London and Chair, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics

Michèle Thonnet, eHealth European & International Affairs Executive, General Secretariat, Ministry of Solidarities & Health, France

John Crawford, Independent Consultant

Céire Costelloe, Director, Global Digital Health Unit, Imperial College London

Bente Mikkelsen, Director, Non-Communicable Diseases and Promoting Health through the Life-Course, WHO/Europe

Eduard Salakhov, Deputy Director, Department of International Cooperation and Public Relations, Ministry of Health, Russian Federation

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Moderator: Nick Fahy, Senior researcher, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford

Abstract:

WHO’s third global survey on electronic health (eHealth), conducted in 2015, revealed that among participating European Member States, 70% (30 Member States) had a national eHealth policy or strategy, 90% of which (those of 27 Member States) indicated an explicit reference to objectives or key elements of universal health coverage. Yet despite this relatively high awareness of the need for policy to support national health-system digitalization initiatives, the nature of policy interventions supporting digital health varies significantly between countries.

In this session, we will examine how countries in Europe are developing policy in support of safe and effective digitalization in order to identify best-practice approaches. We will investigate how policy can address variations in digital implementation scenarios as health services are increasingly delivered outside of traditional care settings; how policies governing data and their use are linked to broader digitalization initiatives in health; and which policy issues Member States should be attuned to when addressing the adoption of emerging service-delivery models involving third-party providers outside of the health sector.

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Speakers:

Bernardo Mariano Junior, Chief Information Officer, Information Management and Technology, World Health Organization (WHO)

Ioana-Maria Gligor (DG Sante, Head of Unit, SANTE.B3-European Reference Networks and digital health)

Sarah Murphy, Assistant Principal, eHealth and Information Policy, Department of Health, Ireland

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Moderator: Willy Palm, Senior Adviser, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Abstract:

A country’s ability to cultivate a digitally capable health workforce is one of the most important enabling factors underpinning national success in digital health. Yet coordinated mechanisms for addressing the digital skills of the health workforce in Europe are often lacking.

How can we best ensure the digital skills of health workers now and in the future? How can digital literacy be meaningfully addressed as a part of medicine and nursing curricula and through the continued professional development of healthcare workers? What impact are emerging digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, personalized medicine and robotics likely to have upon the required skills set for healthcare professionals?

This session examines the above questions to gain insight into the key factors enabling the health workforce in becoming, and remaining, digitally capable and the steps that Members States can take in this respect, as part of accelerating progress in the digitalization of their national health systems.

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Speakers:

Kirstine Sørensen, Global Health Literacy Academy

Lars Münter, Head, International Projects Unit, Danish Committee for Health Education

Anne Moen, Professor and Director, UiO:eColab, University of Oslo

Claudia Pagliari, Director of Global eHealth, University of Edinburgh

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Moderator: Gabrielle Jacob, Programme Manager, Human Resources for Health, WHO/Europe

Abstract:

Recent studies of the use of digital technologies for the treatment of mild depression have demonstrated the ability of such approaches to make high-quality treatment more widely available. Policy recommendations from the European Union-funded MasterMind project¹ highlight a diverse range of factors influencing the success of implementations of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) and videoconferencing-enabled collaborative care services (ccVC).

The WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) was created to provide guidance on scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance-use disorders, particularly in countries with low and middle incomes. It asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions of people could be treated for depression, schizophrenia and epilepsy, prevented from committing suicide, and supported to begin leading normal lives – even where resources are scarce.

In this session, we will examine the impact that digital technologies are already having on the delivery of services supporting mental health with a view to understanding the prerequisites for Member States to adopt these services at scale.

¹MasterMind. Policy recommendations based on MasterMind results. Luxembourg: European Commission; 2017 (http://mastermind-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MMind_Policy-brief.pdf).

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Speakers:

Introduction: Daniel Chisholm, Programme Manager, Mental Health and Mental Disorders, WHO/Europe

Claus Duedal Pedersen, Head of Innovation Unit, Odense University Hospital

Annet Kleiboer, Senior Researcher, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije University Amsterdam

Marie Folker, Head of Department, Centre for Telepsychiatry, Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark

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Moderator: Mette Atipei Craggs, Innovation Consultant, Odense University Hospital

Abstract:

This workshop will use a unique facilitation methodology known as LEGO® Serious Play® to foster open discussion among Member States. Participants will examine a complex problem that does not have a clear answer (that is, advancing a regional vision for digitalization of health systems) by focusing on Member State priorities, barriers, enablers, and a regional direction for accelerating progress in national digital health adoption. By participating, Member States will gain insight not only into their own vision for digital health, but also into the vision of their fellow Member States and common principles for moving forward with the development of digital health in the Region.

Abstract:

This workshop will use a unique facilitation methodology known as LEGO® Serious Play® to foster open discussion among Member States. Participants will examine a complex problem that does not have a clear answer (that is, advancing a regional vision for digitalization of health systems) by focusing on Member State priorities, barriers, enablers, and a regional direction for accelerating progress in national digital health adoption. By participating, Member States will gain insight not only into their own vision for digital health, but also into the vision of their fellow Member States and common principles for moving forward with the development of digital health in the Region.

Abstract:

Telehealth is offering European populations new possibilities for access to health services and monitoring outside of traditional care settings. In 2016, Edith Schippers, Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, expressed the potential of telehealth and related health technologies to “move health care from the waiting room to the living room”. Well designed telehealth solutions can improve health-care access and outcomes, particularly for chronic disease treatment and for vulnerable groups. They not only reduce demands on crowded facilities, but also create cost savings and strengthen the resilience of the health system.

However, the implementation of telehealth and its integration into existing health services can prove challenging, particularly where solutions span administrative or regional boundaries. In this session, we will showcase successful examples of telehealth in Europe, highlighting the necessary governance, technology, regulatory, workforce, training and support modalities. We will then examine what Member States can do to accelerate implementation of their national telehealth programmes.

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Speakers:

Kristian Kidholm, Head of research, Centre for Innovative Medical Technology, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark

Masoud Dara, Coordinator, Communicable Diseases, Division of Health Emergencies & Communicable Diseases, WHO/Europe

Yunkap Kwankam, Executive Director, International Soeciety for Telemedicine an eHealth (ISfTeH)

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Moderator: Jarmo Reponen, Professor of Practice, Healthcare Information Systems, University of Oulu, Finland

Abstract:

WHO’s 2015 global eHealth survey revealed that public–private partnerships for digital health (joint ventures between public organizations and private-sector companies) were utilized in just under half of responding European Member States (21 out of 47 countries). This figure rose to 71% in high-income countries and 80% in countries of the Nordic region.

With the increasing use of sophisticated digital technologies in health, public–private partnerships are one mechanism for leveraging these innovations and sharing the risk of investment. In this session, we will examine examples of how public–private partnerships for digitalizing health systems are being established, structured and managed, and their potential advantages and disadvantages.

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Speakers:

Jakob Uffelman, Director of Innovation, sundhed.dk

Mona Truelsen, Project manager for Health, Nordic Innovation

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Moderator: Anne Torill Nordsletta, Department Manager, Health Data Analytics, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

The increasing need for health data from multiple sources to train data-driven health-care tools and enable public health surveillance is driving a debate on how to balance the interests of developers with the privacy and consent of the individuals whose data make up the health system. For example, how do we practically apply data governance and applicable privacy regulation in digital health systems? How do we ensure that the consent preferences of individuals as to how their personal health data are used are respected and applied throughout the health system? How can we strengthen trust in populations for the use of anonymized personal health information for secondary uses, such as developing the health-care tools of the future?

In this session, we will address the factors that Member States are facing in striking the right balance between privacy and sharing of digital health data, and how we can work together to ensure they are accounted for in health systems of the future.

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Speakers:

Monika Lanzenberger, DG CONNECT

Kristoffer Kjærgaard Christensen, Head of Section, Cyber Security, Danish Ministry of Health

Luke Slawomirski, Health Economist, OECD

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Moderator: Petra Wilson, Managing Director Health Connect Partners, Senior Advisor for Healthcare, FTI Consulting

Abstract:

Personalized medicine (also referred to as precision or stratified medicine) is generally taken to address the “intersection” of genomics, big data and advanced computing to determine specific treatments of therapies for an individual. We are already seeing the application of precision medicine approaches in clinical practice in the treatment of many cancers and rare diseases, however, the public health impacts of personalized health services, biomedicine and broader “omics” approaches in clinical care are still unclear.

In this session, we examine the future of personalized health services and how they operate in furthering the public health discourse on the potential benefits and drawbacks to their broader application in European Member States.

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Speakers:

Tõnu Esko, Vice Director and Chief Business Development Officer, Estonian Genome Center, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu

Bogi Eliasen, Chair of Danish unit, UNESCO Bioethical Committee

Tom Fowler, Deputy Chief Scientist, Genomics England

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Moderator: Gro Karine Rosvold Berntsen, Chief researcher, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

The development and application of standards for the exchange of digital data and interoperability of health systems has been discussed in a range of national and international forums for over two decades. Yet despite the development of concrete interoperability frameworks, such as the EU Refined eHealth European Interoperability Framework¹ and recommendations for Quality Management Systems, testing tools and certification processes, uniform approaches to standards adoption across Europe remain inconsistent.

In this session we address the current state of interoperability in the WHO European Region and look to how we can accelerate action in the development of pragmatic solutions for advancing the adoption of digital health standards in health systems of the future.

¹European Commission, eHealth Network, Refined eHealth European Interoperability Framework https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/ev_20151123_co03_en.pdf

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Speakers:

Catherine Chronaki, Secretary General at HL7 Foundation Europe and VP at European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI)

Lars Hulbæk, Director, MedCom, Denmark

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Moderator: Gunn Hilde Rotvold, Senior Adviser, Patient Pathways, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Abstract:

The factors contributing to successful technology-based change in health have been well-identified in research literature, however their inclusion in national action plans for digital health is uneven and the implementation science behind such major change initiatives in health is often lacking or poorly applied. This can lead to costly and ineffective solutions which contribute to the fragmentation of health systems operation.

In this session we hear from European leaders as to their approaches in leading national digital health programmes having a broad impact on the transformation of the health system. We examine approaches to the establishment and interoperability of national digital health data and services, and the governance mechanisms applied for leading successful technology-based change in health.

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Speakers:

Henrique Martins, President of the Board, SPMS (Shared Services and eHealth/IT authority of the Ministry of Health) Portugal

Joanne Boyle, Head of Business Engagement, NHS Scotland

Anna Adelöf Kragh, Director, Public and Healthcare Advisory, NNIT

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Moderator: Elke Jakubowski, Independent Health Policy Consultant, Health Policy Europe

Abstract:

This workshop will use a unique facilitation methodology known as LEGO® Serious Play® to foster open discussion among Member States. Participants will examine a complex problem that does not have a clear answer (that is, advancing a regional vision for digitalization of health systems) by focusing on Member State priorities, barriers, enablers, and a regional direction for accelerating progress in national digital health adoption. By participating, Member States will gain insight not only into their own vision for digital health, but also into the vision of their fellow Member States and common principles for moving forward with the development of digital health in the Region.

Abstract:

Futuristic scenarios of our hospitals, cities and communities highlight the trend towards increasingly digital, interconnected and “aware” spaces. Advances in the fields of smart materials, sensors, robotics and the internet of things hold the potential for these environments to become intelligent, distributed and responsive to individual needs, providing highly integrated patient pathways, continuity of care across different parts of the health system, and accurate detection and early warning of health conditions.

This session will look into the digital health-care environments of the future to gain insight into how our interaction with the health system is likely to change, how these sophisticated innovations can be harnessed in low-resource settings and, above all, how we can make health-care environments of the future safe, accessible and affordable for all.

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Speakers:

Christian Koerner, Technology Scout, Children’s Hospital Copenhagen

Terje Peetso, Board Member, North Estonia Medical Centre

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Abstract:

To ensure the safe and effective digitalization of national health systems, it is important that Member States adopt pragmatic and standardized approaches to defining and measuring progress, and that these approaches encompass a holistic view of social, legal, process, technology and other factors underpinning successful digital health adoption.

This session will look at current approaches for measuring the maturity of digital health systems, current monitoring and evaluation methods, and key performance indicators being used in the WHO European Region.

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Speakers:

Nick Fahy, Senior researcher, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford

Hege Andreassen, Senior Researcher, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

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Moderator: Fabrizio Carinci, Adjunct Professor of Biostatistics, University of Bologna;Principal Epidemiologist, National Observatory of Patient Safety, Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGENAS)

Abstract:

Big data approaches to improving public health surveillance and insight offer new potential for predicting and detecting disease outbreaks and changing profiles of disease burden. This, in turn, can have impact upon the design and operation of health systems and increase the effectiveness of investments for health security.

In this session we showcase examples of the application of big data in public health and health system contexts and look at how these techniques can be better integrated into monitoring the performance of health systems and improving public health capacity.

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Speakers:

Ivo Rakovac, Technical Officer (Noncommunicable Diseases), WHO Regional Office for Europe

Nick Guldemond, Professor Integrated Care & Technology, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management/I.M. SechenovFirst Moscow State Medical University

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Moderator: Stein Olav Skrøvseth, Director, Norwegian Centre for E-health Research

Closing remarks:

Hans Kluge, Division of Health Systems and Public Health, WHO/Europe

Symposium closing:

Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO/Europe

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Facilitator: Carrie Peterson, WHO/Europe, Division of Health Systems and Public Health