The World Health Organization (WHO) has set up a collaboration network for its European members to work on issues related to the digital transformation of healthcare.
It said the Strategic Partners’ Initiative for Data and Digital Health (SPI-DDH) will bring together 53 member states in the region and provide a meeting point for governments, academia, innovators and civil society groups.
Its key objectives including identifying actions to improve the take-up of digital healthcare solutions, proving a space for countries to learn and engage, and developing future scenarios for healthcare delivery and data usage.
Four working groups have been set up to focus on: unlocking capacity in healthcare through digitalisation and the responsible use of AI; using data and digital technologies to take healthcare and prevention into people’s homes; an ecosystem approach to standards and interoperability; and strengthening public health with a focus on mental health and the workforce.
The work will be aligned with WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-25.
New dialogue
Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: “Our shared purpose that brings us together today is to create a new dialogue that engages the right stakeholders around the topics that matter most.
“No single entity can unleash the full potential of digital health and data. But through the knowledge and understanding cultivated through this platform, we can work together to ensure that the values of equity and human rights are at the core of health systems in a digital era.”
WHO said countries in the region are experiencing challenges with financing, implementing and governing the digital transformation of their health systems. These include poor interoperability and a lack of equitable opportunities for some vulnerable communities.
Its report published last year, Digital health in the WHO European Region, found that only up to 2% of the total national health budget was allocated to digital transformation in the few countries that were able to report on the expenditure. In addition, only 35% of member states have policies on the use of big data and advanced analytics in the sector.
