The great importance of the European Health Union (EHU) for patients and health providers, the benefits that all citizens in all member states will have through electronic cross-border health services and the role and work of the National Electronic Health Authority were analyzed on Friday in Nicosia, at a conference organized by the Authority entitled “European Health Union and the Roadmap for the Implementation of Electronic Health in Cyprus”.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou and Health Minister Michalis Damianos addressed the meeting on behalf of President Christodoulidis. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Authority Christos Schizas presented the work of the Authority and the road map for the implementation of electronic health in our country. The President of the Health Committee of the Parliament Efthymios Diplaros also addressed a brief greeting. Among others, representatives from associations and health organizations, parliamentarians and MEPs attended.
What is EHY
The regulation on EIF was passed last April by the EP and is expected to start being implemented from next October. With the regulation, every European citizen, regardless of the country in which he is, in addition to his country of residence and regardless of the length of stay, will feel even safer in the event of illness or the need for urgent care.
Through electronic cross-border services, he will be able to contact a health professional in the area where he temporarily resides, knowing that he will have access to his prescriptions and health history, thus ensuring immediate response to emergencies. Citizens' personal data is protected based on applicable EU law and practices in their country of residence or in the country in which they will be temporarily working, studying or traveling.
Digitalisation of the health sector is a key tool, says Kyriakidou
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou, who was an MP and member of the Health Committee when the e-health regulation was passed in Cyprus in 2019, said that the combination of digital transformation and innovation with health ensures a better tomorrow for all European citizens, as they will have universal access to quality healthcare.
He said that with the digitization of the health sector, there will be accessible, efficient, sustainable and resilient health systems in the future. The Commissioner said that the European Health Data Area will allow citizens to have easy and immediate access to their digital medical data, wherever they are in the European Union and they will be able to decide for themselves what to share and with whom they want to share it. their data, aiming for the maximum quality of care or treatment.
In addition, health professionals will be able to access a patient's medical records for their treatment in a different Member State.
He also noted that the European Health Data Area also aims to unlock the enormous potential of this data, and give impetus to new life-saving treatments, personalized medicine.
At the same time it helps to improve the capacity to deal with health crises and to strengthen plans to fight Cancer and the European Pharmaceutical Strategy.
The Commissioner said at the same time that Cyprus is already a leader in the implementation of the European Health Data Area in terms of the primary use of health data as through MyHealth@EU, the European infrastructure for the exchange of health data, it is in the final stages of preparation for the start of an exchange electronic prescriptions and patient records.
Soon, he explained, Cypriot citizens will be able to obtain their medicines at any local pharmacy throughout the European Union using a Cypriot electronic prescription and if they need treatment during their stay in another member state, doctors there will be able to have immediate access to relevant patient information and history.
Cyprus also has ambitious plans to extend the feature to further types of data, such as test results, medical imaging and hospital discharges.
He also noted that Cyprus has been an active supporter and pioneer in the effort for the European Health Data Area which is a bold, necessary step towards a more integrated and efficient health care system across Europe.
The goal is to ensure the provision of quality services, said Health
The Minister of Health, Michalis Damianos, speaking on behalf of the PtD, noted that it is the State's duty to ensure the implementation of Electronic Health in Cyprus, through the Road Map of the National Electronic Health Authority with a view to ensuring the provision of quality and specialized health services to the citizens, as well as their timely access to them.
The Minister stated that the National Electronic Health Authority of Cyprus has been proposed by the European Electronic Health Network and has taken over since last November the coordination of the Joint Action for the creation of specifications and recommendations in relation to the primary use of health data in the European Union.< /p>
This action involves the competent e-health authorities of all 27 member states of the European Union and Norway with the aim of developing all the standards and defining the specifications concerning the Citizen's Electronic Health Record, such as content, security, handling, management, and interoperability, so as to enable national and cross-border healthcare between Member States.
The Health Committee is supportive, says Diplaros
The President of the Health Committee Efthymios Diplaros He stated that the European healthcare space was a vision of Cyprus Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou and is changing healthcare for the benefit of EU citizens.
He referred to the importance of cross-border cooperation and access to health data on a transparent basis. Mr. Diplaros also spoke about the importance of technology which leads to simplification of procedures for the benefit of citizens.
He assured that the Parliament and the health committee will continue to be supporters in the work of the Ministry of Health and the National Electronic Health Authority.
The President of the Authority said the approach is citizen-centric
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Authority, Christos Schizas, presented in detail the regulation of the EIF and what it provides and the road map drawn up by the Authority, specifically mentioning that the steps started to be taken in 2016 and in 2019 the legislation for the Authority was passed. He mentioned that until now we have been dealing with illness and not with health and we must from now on have a holistic health in soul and body, with a citizen-centric approach.
He said that health data is there for the citizen to use as he wishes and is archived and followed. Access will be through the state's central portal, cy login.
Ownership and control, he explained, belongs to the citizen wherever he is. Mr. Schizas referred to the role of the Authority, what it regulates and why it is useful and necessary. He also talked about various programs that he "runs" the Authority with European funding.
The presentation was followed by a discussion panel.
Source: KYPE
