E-health modernises medical services

In recent years, new forms of healthcare have crept up on the agenda of many south-eastern European countries, within both private and public sectors. While key signifiers of health such as life expectancy and rates of infant mortality in the region have steadily improved, there is further progress still to be made.

The recent political stability of the late 1990s has brought about new investment in healthcare technology, and a flourishing digital economy has granted access to new networks and knowledge. The south-eastern European e-Health Network (SEEeHN), established in 2001, has demonstrated a significant commitment to this new field.

Consequently, as healthcare and medical industries have evolved, the south-eastern region of Europe has witnessed a growing demand for IT systems in these fields. Businesses ranging from hospitals and medical laboratories, to the pharmaceutical industry have all witnessed the improvements e-health networks can bring about, namely efficiency and integration of services.

E-health technology is a hugely important facet of the restructuring and modernisation of twenty-first-century healthcare

In this dynamic and expanding field, eHealthCy based in Nicosia, Cyprus, is pioneering in its innovation and development. The aim of eHealthCy is to streamline national healthcare services through improved IT services. These services include among others; healthcare information systems (HIS,CIS,LIS) health-data analysis, health-data mapping, and management of healthcare organisations. The success stemming from the provision of these services is apparent from the company’s continued success. Founded in 2008, it is already expanding far beyond the reach of its Cypriot roots. Furthermore, the work undertaken by eHealthCy is crucial to the evolution of an effective healthcare infrastructure in the region and further afield. In an area with a growing and more mobile population, adequate healthcare services are of vital importance in order to keep pace with developments in western Europe.

People first
The motivation behind eHealthCy’s work is clear: prioritising and addressing the healthcare needs of citizens. This mentality of ‘people first’ underlies all of the company’s work, aiming to safeguard the wellbeing of the individuals for whom they care for. In order to achieve this, their vision is to develop a transnational network of electronic healthcare services allowing the free transfer of data to all parties involved. This means that, with relevant permission, data will be shared easily by affiliated care units, leading to a more efficient care network.

The health network pioneered by eHealthCy is extensive, with care units including private clinics, diagnostic laboratories, public services, and nonprofit audit bodies such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Centre for Disease Control and the National Organisation for Medicines. The benefits of this style of e-health strategy are many, as not only does the integration of data services improve the quality of care, it simultaneously reduces the cost of healthcare services. Subsequently, this technology benefits both service-users, and governmental organisations which have sub-contracted companies such as eHealthCy.

The strategic model the firm has created is intertwined with healthcare innovation in the region, in Europe and globally. The implementation of new IT can be seen across the board throughout the continent and its benefits are evident. E-health technology is a hugely important facet of the restructuring and modernisation of twenty-first-century healthcare. As a result, a growing number of governments and institutions are planning to adopt these new strategies in the near future.

New horizons
At the core of the e-health project is the principle that today’s healthcare services no longer operate in isolation but are most effective when united. The medical industry thus becomes a completely national – or even transnational – network. This idea is exemplified by eHealthCy’s ‘Integrated Hospital Information System’ a programme that brings together a range of services (medical and imaging laboratories, blood and transplant resources, nursing and outpatient services and administration) in order to improve the quality of care and the efficiency of their services. With its proven efficacy, eHealthCy is expanding its work further afield in Europe, developing new care-providing and managerial networks. The firm is aiming to create a broader network in which all organisations involved in healthcare can participate in the e-health project, with a view to extend across the entire south-east region of Europe. This project will require the involvement of governments, citizens, healthcare NGOs and educational institutions. It is without a doubt ambitious; however, the company’s founders are confident that they have the ability to bring this about through the strategic recruitment of likeminded individuals.

A voice for patients
eHealthCy identifies with humanitarian causes and regularly engages with NGOs to provide consulting and software services on a pro bono basis. The company is committed to working with NGOs such as the Association of Congenital Heart Patients Adolescents and Adults of Cyprus (ACHDAC) and the Central Information System of Congenital Heart Patients of Cyprus. These initiatives demonstrate how e-health technology can benefit all areas of the healthcare community, whether it is profit or non-profit motivated. Not only does eHealthCy provide services free-of-charge, but any profit made from charity-linked work for the government is invested directly back into the NGOs. This involvement within charities has vastly improved the standard of both patient care and medical research, especially within the field of cardiology.

The big picture
In an area of the world which has previously had limited access to healthcare resources, south-east Europe is rapidly emerging in the e-health industry. With a proven ability to streamline the data services needed to deliver excellent standards of medicine, interest in this area is growing. Innovators such as eHealthCy provide a unique and empowering link, directly connecting patients to local care resources, medical institutions and healthcare policy makers.

However, eHealthCy are not working alone. Instead they have developed a further, secondary network which consists of a range of strategic partners. These include: The Hellenic Technical Enterprise, Logos Net Services, Healthcare International Consulting and Oracle. This secondary network is a much larger structure, which incorporates many important services other than those provided by eHealthCy. The aim is to expand this network of health informatics further still, extending to new regions in order to create a transnational and an international e-health network. This network will enable accurate, timely and efficient sharing of data, something that would benefit patients and healthcare professionals alike.