Box 13Progress and gaps in digital health uptake in the WHO European Region

In September 2023, the WHO Regional Office for Europe launched the report The ongoing journey to commitment and transformation: Digital health in the WHO European Region 2023, which provides a snapshot of current trends in the uptake of digital health applications across the region (WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2023a). The report builds on the regional priorities presented in the Digital Health Action Plan for 2023–2030 and the results of the 2022 Survey on Digital Health, which collected information on a set of critical digital health indicators across all 53 Member States of the WHO European Region.

The report showcases the progress made, including specific country examples, but also highlights areas in which targeted interventions are warranted to close existing gaps. The regional uptake of digital health (and what remains to be done) is explored and rests on six pillars of transformation, which reflect the main areas of policy action described in this brief:

1. Leaders (national digital health governance) – building national digital health strategies and adequate governance structures, including dedicated agencies to supervise the implementation of digital health policies.
2. Lifelines (electronic health records) – developing appropriate strategies and legislation for the widespread, integrated and interoperable implementation and use of electronic health records at different levels of health systems.
3. Bridging distances (telehealth) – developing telehealth strategies and intersectoral collaboration, as well as monitoring and evaluation frameworks to ensure telehealth services are effectively implemented and contribute to achieving health objectives.
4. Health in your hands (mHealth) – ensuring appropriate oversight and evaluation of mHealth to guide investment and implementation of applications with added value for care within national health systems.
5. Power of knowledge (big data and advanced analytics) – establishing data standards and creating an adequate regulatory environment and supportive infrastructure for the use of big data and analytics.
6. Sharing is caring (data sharing) – establishing a safe and adaptive data governance and regulatory environment, which engages people, promotes data sharing, and responds to technological change.

The report also identifies enablers for transformation related to the need to strengthen existing and establish new governance structures for digital health, including: dedicated institutions at the national level; the implementation of cross-sectoral policies; and dedicated sustainable funding for the uptake of digital health solutions. On a technical level, common standards for the interoperability of data and evidence-based methods for evaluating the usefulness and safety of digital health applications should go hand in hand with these processes. Lastly, uptake may be bolstered by strengthening digital health literacy and engagement among both patients and health care workers to ensure digital inclusion and ownership of new technologies among the people working and being cared for on the ground (WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2023a).