Transatlantic Cooperation Surrounding Health Related Information and Communication Technology

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation Surrounding Health Related Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) was signed in Washington DC on December 17, 2010 between the EU and the US. This high-level partnership sent a strong signal to all stakeholders that a more global approach was needed to foster mutual understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead, and reinforced the belief that advancing the effective use of Health ICT will benefit patients, health systems and the eHealth market. This book introduces the Policy Briefs which have resulted from the ARGOS project, the goal of which was to help address and meet global health policy challenges using ICT-enabled solutions, as well as to develop and promote common methods for responding to global eHealth challenges in the EU and the US. "The ARGOS Policy Briefs" address key health informatics topics and cover the following four areas: semantic interoperability; modeling and simulation of human physiology and diseases; a common approach towards measuring the adoption, usage and benefits of eHealth and certification of electronic health records in the US and Europe.
Three other articles are also included in the book which address another high priority challenge: strategies for the development of a skilled health IT workforce. With its varied practical recommendations and vision of the future, this book will be of interest to all those working in this highly specialized and fascinating field for the benefit of patients, health care providers and society.