The conference returns to Copenhagen, its 2008 host city, with a focus on patient empowerment and infusing care givers and receivers with the confidence to benefit from modern eHealth tools.
«»EHealth is important, because it holds potential benefits for European citizens in many ways»», said the Danish Minister of Health, Astrid Krag. She noted eHealth tools make it easier to exchange health data, improving the way resources are allocated and contributed to patient safety. «»But above all, (eHealth) creates the basis for a more individualized treatment by empowering and involving patients,»» Krag said.
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, president of the republic of Estonia, was the Chair of the European eHealth Taskforce established in 2011. He made it clear that patient empowerment and eHealth cannot do without each other. Both in Denmark and in Estonia, a national electronic patient record system is currently being established that makes a patient the «»owner»» of his or her patient data, in a very literal sense.
By being able to give access to personal data, this kind of electronic record makes it possible to ask for 2nd opinions. And it also paves the way for individualized care scenarios in which different care providers have access to the data they need. The patient supplies data himself by telemonitoring technologies and other eHealth tools.
Full article: Healthcare IT News
