1. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 1 Towards a Transatlantic Observatory for Meeting Global Health Policy Challenges through ICT- Enabled Solutions: Measuring adoption, usage and benefits of eHealth Karl A. Stroetmann PhD MBA FRSM Bonn, Germany

2. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 2 The thrust for evidence-based policy Evidence needed at the macro-level:  Diffusion, usage (co-op with OECD), and system benefits Evidence needed at the micro-level:  effective use and stakeholder benefit assessment

3. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 3 European Policy Context Measurement and assessment always key topics in policy papers: eHealth Action Plan 2004 Lisbon Strategy and i2010 strategic framework Europe 2020 Strategy & Digital Agenda

4. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 USA Meaningful Use 4 1998: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) concept paper “Assuring a Health Dimension for the National Information Infrastructure” 2004: creation of the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) ARRA legislation (American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill 2009) incl. HITECH Act (Health IT for Economic and Clinical Health Act): –major policy initiatives to stimulate adoption and “meaningful use” of health IT –triggered wide variety of comparative effectiveness health research, incl. “Health IT Assessment Framework for Measurement”

5. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 Industry and Stakeholder Perspective European-American Business Council (EABC) underlined the high importance of measuring eHealth diffusion and assessing its benefits World Economic Forum “Global Health Data Charter” (2010) identified evaluation as one of seven key enablers to “assess progress and accelerate improvement” 5 Source: World Economic Forum. Global Health Data Charter. Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland, 2010 Stakeholders targeted by the Global Health Data Charter

6. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 The way forward: Policy perspective EU, individual Member States, USA, OECD, WHO as well as industry realise –key relevance of health IT (HIT), eHealth, or ICT for health for the future sustainability and service quality of our health systems, –urgent need for common approaches towards measuring (1) adoption, usage, system benefits as well as (2) individual meaningful/effective use and stakeholder benefits thereby optimally contributing towards guiding, feedback/ controlling and improving policy development and implementation Obvious opportunity to not only work together, but to achieve benefits for all (win-win) through synergies, learning together and exchanging experience. 6

7. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 Strategy To advance towards a trans-Atlantic and global collaboration, a few key strategic foci have been identified: –Exploit the potential of existing activities –Explore opportunities for developing common methodologies and measures (with OECD + WHO) –Conduct cross-country analyses and benchmarking of policies, achievements and lessons learned –Support policy analysis through collection of an agreed core set of indicators and a new generation of metrics 7

8. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 Tactics Start small, go both for some low hanging fruit / immediately shared issues, and for essential methodological issues in need of a considerable cooperative effort, thereby having a view also on longer-term feasibility and viability. 8

9. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 Priority topics Identify common policy needs, ongoing activities, shareable experience Develop appropriate taxonomy(ies), methodology of data collection, e.g. modular survey instruments Harmonise benefit and cost measures and analysis methods/tools: –Identify relevance of RoI vs HTA (effectiveness) vs benefit/cost -- socio-economic impact/return (incl. soft factors e.g. “willingness to pay”) Refine set of indicators to measure ICT adoption; modes/purpose of effective and meaningful use; critical success factors; outcomes/impacts 9

10. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 Organisational context & structure Close trans-Atlantic, even global collaboration, leveraging on other regional (like European) or global (like by OECD or WHO) endeavours A European and a US organisation or agency may collaboratively take the lead, e.g. ONC and EC Establish an (EC-WHO-ITU-Commonwealth Fund-OECD- Business Industry) Advisory Committee Establish small expert (sub-)groups –working offline, on-line and through an electronic discussion group. –possibly follow-up meetings at EC or ONC quarters 10

11. EEAS Pilot projects conference: Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States, Brussels, Nov. 10, 2011 11 Outlook This topical field has become a policy priority globally in recent years A growing number of international activities can be taken advantage of There is a strong felt trans-Atlantic need for stocktaking, identifying lessons learned, sharing of experience Many outstanding issues have reached a stage where international guidance and coordination will help further efforts, accelerate progress and save funds Let us do it, do it together, establish a cross-Atlantic win-win venture!