eMEN received with a lot of interest at the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI) for Health event in Budapest.
On September 18th and 19th the eMEN project was presented by lead partner Arq at the 2-day workshop of the ‘ESIF for Health’ project in Budapest, Hungary. The aim of the ESIF project is to gather knowledge on how the European structural and investment funds are used to support health investments in the 2014-2020 programming period. In addition, the project promotes development capacities of Member States and regions to support the effective implementation of ESIF for health.
The eMEN project was presented on the first and second day by project leader Mr. Oyono Vlijter, who has been involved in development and implementation of e-mental health projects since 2009. Participants from different EU Member States were enthusiastic and impressed about the integrated and multidisciplinary eMEN approach and recognised many of the challenges addressed in the project. The eMEN presentation made the ‘disruptive’ nature of some eHealth technologies more transparent and showed the importance of real-life testing / piloting, at different levels and in different (mental) health care systems. For most eHealth applications there is not one ‘magic’ implementation button.
From the presentation of the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities and National Healthcare Service Centre it was again emphasized how crucial it is to have the right policy framework in place for large eHealth projects. After specific legislation was put in place, Hungary is now rolling out its Electronic Health Cooperation Service Space (EESZT) which has been created with the support of the EU (18,5 million ESF). EESZT is connecting existing systems from all hospitals, GPs, pharmacists etc. to a national database – so far, the scaling up process has been very successful.
Other projects presented at this event were the:
· Regional Development in Welfare Technology and eHealth services in cooperation (RUVeS) implemented by the Linneaus University in Sweden (funded by the ERDF)
· Interoperability, digital liaison and electronic health records in newly established local health units (TO.M.Y) implemented by the University of Athens and Region of Western Greece (fundung by the ESF).
· Forstering Innovation in Integrated Healthcare Systems Sulutions (DigitalLife4CE) implemented by VFG Leipzig e.V. (funded by Interreg Central Europe)
· Master Patient Index (MPI) implemented by Groupement de Coopération Sanitaire, Télésanté Lorraine (funding by the ERDF)
· Health education and social advice for low-income families with young children: ‘EmpowerKids’, implemented by the Baltic Region Health Cities Association (funded by Interreg Central Baltic)
The first day of workshop was closed at the Hungarian Academy of Science with a dinner speech of the Hungarian Parliamentary State Secretary (Mr. Bence Rétvári). Mr. Rétvári emphasized the need for faster healthcare innovation and financial sustainability of the sector.
On day two the eMEN project was presented again at the panel session. On this day the representative of the European Commission (Mr. Sylvain Giraud from DG SANTE), explained the current process of better facilitating health projects in the new structural fund programme period 2021-2027. He emphasized that is it important that the national sectors actively participate in this process, to make sure that they can better utilize the national Operational Programmes funded by the EU.
For more information about the ESIF for Health project please visit: http://esifundsforhealth.eu/about-project
