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European Space Agency

Press Release

Ehealth for Europe
==================
9 December 2002

Sitting in a doctor's waiting room is not most people's idea of fun,
so a recent conference in Bruges, Belgium, on Delivering eHealth
across Europe, has good news for Europeans - visiting a doctor's
surgery may become a rare event. 

Present at the 3rd Annual Conference of the European Health Telematics 
Association were representatives of the European Union, the 
International Telecommunications Union and ESA. These organisations, 
together with the World Health Organisation, make up the Telemedicine 
Alliance, an 18-month European project to examine the use of eHealth: 
health care that makes use of electronic means of telecommunication 
such as phones, television, computers and satellites.

Satellites and the European Space Agency may not be the first thing
that comes to mind when thinking of improving health, yet there are
many ways in which ESA and its programmes contribute to improving
health care.

 * In emergency situations or in remote areas satellites are used
   to transmit images and information on the sick or injured to
   medical specialists thus allowing them to advise local medics on 
   treatment or even guide them through an operation. 

 * Through its Human Spaceflight Programme ESA monitors the health
   of astronauts in space, and uses the unique opportunities
   offered by the absence of gravity to carry out medical research.

 * ESA's Technology Transfer Programme encourages the adaptation of 
   space technology for other uses, many of which are medical.  For 
   instance space technology is used in heart operations, in
   dentistry, to detect melanomas and in many areas of medical
   research.

Some ways in which eHealth can help Europeans

Less time spent in waiting rooms 

Many visits to doctors and hospitals are for routine checkups or just
to collect a repeat prescription. With eHealth many of these services
could be done or requested from home.

Household electronic equipment, such as phones, televisions, remote
controls and computers, can be used to take and transmit data such as
temperature, blood pressure and sugar level to a central medical
centre for examination and checking against existing health records.
For instance some mobile phones already have electrodes on the back
enabling them to be used as an electrocardiogram. Prescriptions could
also be sent electronically to local pharmacists ready for immediate
collection.

Imagine the time saved and the queues avoided. Even more important, by 
cutting down on the number of routine visits and the paperwork that 
has become the bane of modern medicine, more time, money and resources 
could be dedicated to helping the seriously ill.

Helping the old and the infirm 
------------------------------
For the old and the disabled visiting the doctor is not just time
consuming, it can also be extremely difficult. eHealth can help this
section of society - and those who care for them - by enabling
patients to transmit health data without having to leave their home.
Specialist medical centres, with electronic access to patients'
medical records, will then immediately check the data and ensure that
all is well. 

Patients intimidated by electronic equipment can be personally guided
through the different steps by phone or through monitors. This will
ensure that the service is ‘user friendly' and could offer more
frequent contact with patients unable to leave their homes. 

Intensive care for those who need it 
------------------------------------
Centralisation of records plus remote access to health data will
ensure the best use of limited resources such as intensive care units. 
On occasion patients are transferred to these units unnecessarily as 
doctors are unable to check all existing medical records before 
admitting a patient to hospital. With eHealth, all hospitals with 
intensive care units within a certain area can be grouped together and 
share remote access to patients' data. In this way beds in intensive 
care units would be given to those most in need.

Medical care wherever you are 
-----------------------------
Even when away from home, on holiday or on business, it will still be
possible to be treated by your local doctor by using communications
technology. In cases of severe illness requiring hospital attention,
medical records can be transferred immediately to the hospital
responsible for carrying out treatment to enable them to check on
previous treatment and medication.

Prevention better than cure 
---------------------------
Telecommunications are a good way of promoting health care. There are
already many websites that help people to lose excess weight, which is 
a contributing factor in many serious illnesses. On these sites
visitors can log in daily to record their weight and receive support,
advice and encouragement. These, and similar services, can make an
important contribution to preventing illness and reducing the cost of
health care.


ESA and the Telemedicine Alliance
---------------------------------
eHealth clearly benefits people and health care services, and indeed
some of the above measures have already been put into practice.
However, before these measures can be expanded to cover the whole of
Europe some issues need to be resolved. These include: ensuring the
privacy of digitally stored health data; facilitating and protecting
the electronic exchange of health records; and harmonising health care 
services within Europe while respecting different cultures and
systems. Over the next 18 months the Telemedicine Alliance, headed by
ESA, will be looking into ways to resolve these problems.

For more information contact: 
Benny Elmann-Larsen 
email: Benny.Elmann-Larsen{at}esa.int 
tel: +31 715653322

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