Introducing Good eHealth

The diffusion of eHealth in Europe is speeding up. A wide variety of innovative eHealth applications have now been implemented successfully. Spread throughout the continuum of care, the cases are a source of valuable experience for those wanting to implement eHealth further. We seek to promote examples of good practices in eHealth which have not yet been so widely publicised. The goal is to make them available for use as good models and experiences.

The plan is for these cases to be used in two different ways.

First, political, clinical, managerial and health professional decision-makers can use them to implement more effective eHealth services.
Second, patients and citizens can use them to enhance aspects of their own and their families' care.

We hope that these two main stakeholder groups will be convinced of the concrete benefits these real-life eHealth case studies have to offer. Acceptance of eHealth by health authorities, health professionals, and – most important – citizens will certainly be enhanced if we document cases, and vet and share information on the added value that eHealth delivers to each stakeholder group.

Good eHealth: This is a three-year study (2006-2008) which is financed under the former Modinis programme in the Directorate-General of Information Society and Media.

Good eHealth: The objectives of this study are to:

• identify good practices and their associated benefits;
• develop and implement proven approaches to wider dissemination and transfer real-life experiences;
• stimulate and foster accelerated take-up of eHealth by addressing the common challenges of eHealth and lessons learned.