eHealth & Telemedicine

For many years the health systems in modern societies have been under increasing pressure due to economic and social change. Improved treatment methods often require more personnel- and cost intensive care. In addition, the share of chronically ill and very old people is increasing. The challenge is to reconcile higher quality and more innovations with the restrictions on ex-penditure in the health system. eHealth, information and communications technology (ICT) based solutions applied in the health sector, can be used in a beneficial way when addressing the key challenges faced by healthcare systems. These challenges are in particular

to maintain and improve the quality and safety of care,
to better coordinate patient care between the various providers in the health and social care sectors,
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the health system.

Beginning with the world-wide first interactive, broad-band video service for seniors (Hom-eTeleService via CATV) empirica and its European partners have developed, carried out and evaluated a wide range of eHealth application projects, especially in the home care and hospital areas. In each case empirica works closely with both service providers in the health and social care sector and technology companies. The company has gained a strong profile not only in practical development, pilot-testing and market validation of IST-based healthcare services with industry and service providers, but also in studies of market trends and developments, including data bases of good practice case studies and foresight exercises, and involving representative surveys of both industry decision makers and citizens. A recent priority has been research on strategic issues (also for global industrial players) and eHealth policy topics involving not only the European Commission but also health ministry and other national representatives from all EU Member States and beyond.