Europe’s health care systems are coming under intolerable pressure. Ageing populations, more people with chronic diseases, stronger demands from patients for best quality care, unbalanced geographical distribution of health professionals and constant pressure on finances combine to make it harder to give the quality care the service would like and patients expect and deserve.

The relentless pressures mean that the very sustainability of health systems as they now operate is under threat. As a result, considerable thought is being given by the private sector and policy makers to devise new ways of working and of using human and financial resources.

At the same time, EU governments, while insisting that the provision of health care is a national responsibility, agreed a set of principles and common values in June 2006 which provides the political context within which any European activities can take place. This acknowledges the overarching values of universality, access to good quality care, equity and solidarity and the need for health systems to be patient-centred and responsive to individual needs.

The declaration notes that an essential feature of all national health systems is to make “them financially sustainable in a way which safeguards these values into the future”. It also emphasises the need to shift the focus towards preventive measures, since such a strategy would reduce health care costs and help achieve sustainability by avoiding disease and any follow-up expenditure.

TELEMEDICINE

Increasingly, information and communication technologies (ICT) are being seen as one route to teach, deliver and manage health care through eHealth in a sustainable way, while ensuring quality and patient safety. Along with electronic health records and health portals, telemedicine (defined as using ICT tools to treat a patient or to enable health professionals to cooperate, at a distance) is a key component. A recent European Commission communication indicated how telemedicine could improve access to high quality care and patient safety, especially for people suffering from chronic diseases.

It noted that telemonitoring could lead to fewer hospital visits, reducing pressure on patients to travel to health centres and freeing up human and financial medical resources. Teleradiology could help to cope with peak workloads, slimming waiting lists for specific examinations and controlling costs.

The technological breakthroughs would also bring wider benefits. According to some estimates, telemedicine has the potential to contribute to the growth of the European economy, forming a global market that was estimated to be worth €5.8 billion in 2008 and could grow annually by almost 20% up to 2012. The income of the European remote monitoring market was almost €11 million in 2007 and is expected to climb to €253 million in 2014.

The potential of using new technology to treat people while they remain in the comfort of their own home and familiar surroundings, however, needs to be accompanied by other changes. Patients, medical professionals and health authorities must all become aware of the possibilities that exist.

Practical issues also need to be addressed. These relate to the interoperability and reliability of telemedicine systems and the availability of broadband connections, especially in outlying regions, where the new technology is likely to be of most benefit. To these considerations should be added wider personal and ethical issues, such as guaranteed protection of a patient’s data.

HEALTHYMAGINATION

Alongside the improvements which policy makers are looking to introduce into national health services, the private sector is developing technology designed to increase efficiency and reduce medical costs. General Electric (GE), which unveiled its ‘healthymagination’ strategy earlier this year, is one of an increasing number of companies that are expanding their health care business.

In GE’s case, it is investing US$3 billion over the next six years in R&D that will develop over 100 innovations designed to lower costs and improve health care access and quality. A further US$2 billion and US$1 billion worth of GE technology will be allocated to developing health care information technology and health in rural and underserved areas.

The company has set itself several ‘15 percent’ targets. It aims to reduce the cost of procedures and processes using its technologies by this amount and to produce 50 high-tech products that are easy to operate and whose cost will be 15% lower on average. Similarly, it is looking to increase public access to essential health services and technologies and improve quality and efficiency for customers by 15%.

“The question is how can we use technology to improve health care and achieve a better throughput of patients,” explains David Boyd, GE’s European government and public affairs executive. “New technology can be more efficient and do jobs quicker as we press to tackle diseases at an earlier stage. We are looking to lower costs, help more people and improve quality,” he adds.