Medical records

“In Chapter 1 we understand why health information should be made available directly to patients and why electronic information is the best means of information sharing. A few important aspects related to these issues are laid down: trustworthiness and comprehensibility. Information should be available to patients in all languages so that when faced with such information, all patients can have the opportunity to understand it with the maximum level of responsibility and data security.
Moreover, another feature of modern technologies is technical interoperability, which should be seen as a future ‘must do’ so that information becomes not only mobile but accessible. In light of this, e-health should bring with it the simplification of administrative procedures and should be a source of education and evaluation for the medical profession, facilitating the patient-doctor relationship.

Chapter 2 tries to answer just that, explaining why we are so sure that e-health is a tool that empowers citizens. It will deliver key services such as rapid access to medical records, making it possible that a chronic disease could even be remotely monitored or that 5 million yearly prescription errors could be avoided. Thus, it improves the management of healthcare and what is essential to remember is that we know it works. A similar program has already been implemented in Sweden and people there could tangibly feel that it delivered on its promises. In addition, Malta, Germany, Slovenia and Slovakia have developed ID cards where health and illness information is accessibly stored.

Chapter 3 then explains two aspects about ICT technologies: that projects such as the Virtual Physiological Human were a success and that in spite of being an advanced technological tool e-health is still in its infancy and has even greater potential for innovation. Hence, this chapter explains in specific terms what e-health does and most importantly what it could do in practice.

Last but not least, Chapter 4 puts the topic into perspective, telling of present and future challenges that affect the medical profession and overall, the EU and its patients. The two articles both recognize that under the pressure of an ageing population phenomenon, healthcare services need the digitisation that could be brought by e-health investments. In this sense, the main points voiced refer to training professionals in the best way possible, facilitating for them both hardware and software material.”