How do we prepare Europe for future technologies?
Technologies such as AI, robotics and precision medicine are a mix of challenge and opportunity. But how can we prepare for this new era of tech in the healthcare sector?
Modern technologies have immense potential to improve health through promotion, prevention and protection; this represents not only innovation within a specific area, but a general change of the entire healthcare service workflow. To succeed, we need to lay a broad foundation – from investments and infrastructure to patients’ benefits and acceptance.
For Europe to truly embrace digital health, technologies need to be made: available, affordable and acceptable.
Europe has the opportunity to provide end-to-end conditions to shape the future of health technologies, improving the life of citizens. Success will not come from a sole player. To build trustworthy health databases we need to cross borders and open markets. We need to learn from each other. Front-runner countries must show the way for others. And most importantly, citizens need to trust the system with their data.
The EU cannot reach these results, unless all member states are on board. The specifics of national and regional systems require stakeholders on all levels to work together towards the common goal of advancing infrastructure and engaging citizens.
Therefore, the European Health Parliament will propose in 2018 that a Connected European Health Area is established to remove structural barriers and act as a vision for infrastructure, and that digital health is included in all relevant policy initiatives to accelerate a meaningful adoption of AI & robotics in healthcare.. Our full report “Breaking down barriers to digital health” will be available in April.
Elin Mignérus
The European Health Parliament brings a new angle to the work on health policy. By gathering young professionals from across Europe with experiences from academia, public and private sectors, and NGOs, the initiative fosters discussions that have the unique possibility to address challenges from different perspectives.
Part of the AI, robotics and precision medicine committee, Elin Mignérus is the CEO of Swedish medtech company CathPrint AB and member of the AI, Robotics and Prescision Medicine committee of the European Health Parliament.
