European eHealth Agenda, 1990–2010

Abstract

The European Commission has been supporting eHealth research and development (R&D) through Framework Programmes since 1989, for almost a quarter century at the time of writing this chapter, and has contributed to the emergence of new generations of technologies in several fields of healthcare. Policy instruments have been introduced by the European Commission at European Union (EU) level to support innovation and faster deployment of eHealth moving towards more person-centred and more sustainable health services. In particular, an enhanced and focused cooperation among the European Commission, European Union Member States and other countries, together with the relevant stakeholders, has been pursued since 2004 to ensure awareness and effective deployment of eHealth solutions. These research programmes and policy activities, along with the various national eHealth research, innovation and deployment activities, have put many Member States in a leading position with respect to the deployment of eHealth and the harnessing of the corresponding benefits. This success in EU investment is analysed in this chapter through three different activities: various phases in research and development; policy support to deployment; and cooperation among the different main stakeholders.