E-Health, m-Health, personalised medicine – challenges faced by healthcare systems in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Background and purpose: The purpose of this study aims to explore measures intended to remove barriers to the implementation of innovative interventions and identify best practices applicable in European countries that support the implementation of cutting-edge e-health, m-health and personalised medicine (PM) interventions at the micro-, meso- and macro-regional levels. Thanks to PM, people are closer to more accurate, predictable and powerful healthcare tailored to individual patients [1]. PM indicates treatment adapted to the patient's characteristics, needs and preferences. PM categorises patients according to the risk of developing a particular disease or degree of response to a given treatment using appropriate diagnostic markers. PM also aims to increase control over the optimisation of medical treatment outcomes and increase the precision of medical treatment, as well as improve disease prediction [2]. The study concept constitutes one of the indicators of the Regions4PerMed project entitled "Interregional coordination for a fast and deep uptake of personalised health" (Horizon 2020).
 Group of respondents: The group of respondents included stakeholders of the Regions4PerMed project - members of the Regions4PerMed Advisory Board, organisations associated with the Patients’ Organisations Council, small and medium enterprises involved in e-health innovation, presenters at conferences and workshops associated with research institutions, private funders, policymakers, policy advisors, project managers, researchers, patient representatives, physicians, academic staff and healthcare consultants.
 Techniques and tools: The qualitative research took the form of online questionnaires and focus group interviews (semi-structured) to identify key barriers and facilitators to the implementation of innovative e-health interventions at the micro-, meso- and macro-regional levels within health and social care systems conducted according to the following five thematic priorities of the Regions4PerMed project which are:
 1.Medical Big Data, Electronic Health Records and Health Governance
 2.Connected health: Better system integration and patient management
 3.Health industry: Driving healthcare innovations
 4.Facilitation of the flow of innovation in healthcare
 5.Socio-Economic Aspects – basic principles.
 
 Outcomes and contexts: The ongoing research will provide data for the development of recommendations that identify the limitations to and benefits of the implementation of innovative e-health interventions for health and social care, with regard to chronic diseases, at the micro-, meso-, and macro-regional levels. In Poland (as well as throughout Eastern Europe), there are still tangible barriers to the development of e-health and m-health in terms of chronic diseases.