Press Release: EHTEL defends patients’ rights to "switch off eHealth technology"

 

 

Copenhagen, 4 November 2008, As thousands of key industry players gather in Copenhagen for WoHIT 2008, EHTEL (the European Health Telematics Association) has once again ensured that patients’ voices are also heard in an industry setting. 

 

EHTEL experts Angelica Frithiof (Chair of the EHTEL Patient Stakeholder Group) and Jos Dumortier  will present the EHTEL Patients Charter for eHealth Information Systems to audiences on Tuesday, 4 November at 16h45 (session ES23) in which they will outline the necessary ingredients to ensure full patient empowerment in relation to how eHealth affects their treatment and health promotion cycles. The Charter marks the culmination of four years’ work within the cross discipline platform. Primarily, the Charter calls on national healthcare authorities across the European Union to adopt a patient centred approach to formalising and harmonising guidelines related to the use of eHealth systems and the processing of electronic health records.

 

Under the heading “Dignity and Respect”, the Charter addresses the issue of the enormous potential of eHealth to improve the quality of life for older people, disabled people and patients affected by chronic diseases and other conditions.

 

Frithiof warns, “ However, we must recognise that despite the clear advantages, monitoring technologies, by their very nature are invasive since they are by definition installed in private residences be they rooms in a care institution or in a private home. Attention needs to be paid to the way in which such technology is installed, how patients, infirm citizens and carers are treated.”

 

She continues, “The bottom line is that the Charter advocates for the ultimate in patient empowerment; the patient’s right to be in control of the technology and to be able to switch off certain services impairing patient privacy when necessary.”

 

Dignity and respect is only one of nine areas addressed in the Charter. The other eight provide a comprehensive panorama of the issues faced by healthcare consumers across Europe today. These are:

 

EHTEL President Martin Denz comments, “In addition to supporting healthcare professionals in the delivery of patient services, eHealth information systems also have the potential to empower patients themselves.”

 

We hope that professionals will take this Charter into account when making decisions as to how they engage patients in their eHealthcare delivery.”

***ENDS***

Notes to Editors

 

 

EHTEL (The European Health Telematics Association) was founded in 1999 as is a membership driven European association.  Representing approximately 100 organisations and individuals in 30 countries in Europe and beyond who are key actors in the field of ehealth, EHTEL members include healthcare authorities & government services, healthcare professionals, patients, citizens and consumers associations; industry groups, insurers, international and national not-for-profit associations, researchers, and independent consultants.

 

EHTEL provides a platform to all European eHealth stakeholders in order to exchange information, to identify challenges and find solutions towards realising its goals of promoting eHealth tools to improve the quality of health for patients and citizens, access to services, efficiency of care and cost effectiveness.

 

EHTEL provides a number of communications services to its members, actively advocates on the above issues towards public institutions and works through established task forces to achieve these goals. For more information on EHTEL visit www.ehtel.org

 

The EHTEL Patients and Citizens Taskforce was formed in 2004 with the aim of giving a voice to Europe’s citizens, with which to express both the hopes and the fears they feel about the eHealth revolution.  To date, this has been achieved through the drafting of various position papers, the Patients’ Charter and conducting workshops on sharing of best practices.

It consists of a unique group within the European eHealth community consisting of individuals who are patients in their own right or who represent patient groups. The participating organisations of the Patients and Citizens Group are EHTEL member organisations and invited participants representing European Patient Organisations.

 EHTEL members

·         CISS (Collectif Inter associatif Sur la Santé) (FR)

·         Deutsche Gesellschaft für Versicherte und Patienten e.V. (DE)

·         Dutch Federation of Cancer Patient Associations (NL)

·         Avebury Mgt Services Ltd (UK)

·         Stockholm Rheumatism Association (SE)

Invited participants

·         AGE (EU)

·         European Patients' Forum (EU)

·         BEUC (Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs) (EU)

·         Health Consumer Powerhouse (EU)

·         IAPO (International Alliance of Patients Organisations) (EU)