Impact of the digital healthcare revolution on health insurance (own-initiative opinion)

Key points

The EESC believes that equal access to healthcare, one of the main objectives of health policies, can benefit from digital support provided certain conditions are met:

• equal geographical coverage;
• bridging the digital divide in terms of use by the public, health professionals and stakeholders in health insurance schemes;
• interoperability among the various components of the digital architecture (databases, medical devices);
• protection of health data which must under no circumstances be used to the detriment of patients.

The EESC also highlights the need to:

• develop and facilitate people's digital health literacy to encourage a critical approach to health information;
• guarantee good quality information in the field of health, particularly by encouraging labelling/accreditation procedures for health applications;
• bolster the relationship of trust between patients, health professionals and stakeholders in health insurance schemes;
• introduce a training system suited to health service users and health professionals alike;
• support the development of a nomenclature of reimbursable treatments and well-being services by taking account of technical innovations made possible by digitisation.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.