At the WoHIT Conference, the organization HIMSS Europe announced the winner of its eHealth Leadership 2014 award, which recognizes the leading promoter of the use of information technologies in the European healthcare system. At this edition, held on April 4 in Nice (France), the winner was Jesús María Fernández, the former Vice-councilor for Health in the Basque Country.
During the administration of Rafael Bengoa, Fernandez developed a “Chronic Patient Strategy” which is based on a plan to reduce the need for hospitalization, requests for medications and other avoidable expenses using IT resources and tools – telemedicine, electronic health records, electronic prescriptions and more – which help to optimize healthcare administration costs.
The initiative, based on statistical surveys that predicted a 100 percent increase in chronic patients within the Basque healthcare system, was an inspiration to other autonomous communities in Spain which have implemented similar projects.
On this occasion, HIMSS Europe decided to honor Jesus Maria Fernández, the current International Director of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Oracle because in 2012 the “Chronic Patient Strategy” saved the Basque healthcare system 60 million euros and incentivized the development of eHealth in other regions.
It is estimated that by the end of 2014 Fernández’s initiative will have an impact of savings of 360 million euros for the healthcare system.
eHealth Leadership 2013
At the previous edition, the winner was Eric LePage, Director of the Public Hospital of Paris, for his efforts promoting the Electronic Health Record at French hospitals.
Source: HIMSS Europe
