Data obtained from public sources. Data sent for review to country expert(s), although not all data has been reviewed by country experts.
For questions and feedback write an email to ecan@goeg.at
Last Update: July 5, 2024
COUNTRY INFORMATION – GOVERNANCE
AUSTRIA
The Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection oversees eHealth and has a department for ‘health telematics’. In addition, the subgroup on eHealth of the Federal Target Based Governance Commission is the national eHealth governance body for Austria, and the country also has a public eHealth agency called ELGA (Elektronische Gesundheitsakte) and Comprehensive Cancer Centres in German ‘ONK-Zentren’ acc. to the Austrian Structural Plan for Health (Österreichischer Strukturplan Gesundheit, ÖSG) working on eHealth. Both inpatient and outpatient eHealth tools are partly covered by public resources.
BELGIUM
The Belgian Federal Public Service (FPS) Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment oversees eHealth, which is a joint responsibility of the federal state and the federated entities. The Interministerial Conference on Public Health (IMC Gezondheid) acts as the national eHealth governance body. The country does not have a public eHealth agency, although eGezondheid assumes the same role, nor does it have Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth. Inpatient and outpatient eHealth tools are partially covered by public resources.
BULGARIA
The Ministry of Health oversees the development and implementation of eHealth initiatives in Bulgaria, with a dedicated department responsible for the topic called “International Projects and eHealth Directorate”. Bulgaria does not have a national eHealth governance board or a public eHealth agency, although the National Health Information System (NHIS) takes this role. Only outpatient eHealth tools are partially covered by public resources. Bulgaria does not count with Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth.
CROATIA
Croatia has a Directorate for eHealth (Uprava za e-zdravstvo) and a national eHealth agency called the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje, HZZO). Only outpatient eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources. The country does not provide information about a national eHealth governance board, eHealth tools in the inpatient sector or the existence of Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on the topic.
CYPRUS
The use of digital health in Cyprus is under the direct responsibility of the National eHealth Authority (NeHA), part of the Ministry of Health. The country has a national eHealth board as well as a public eHealth agency (NeHA). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. Cyprus does not have Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth.
CZECH REPUBLIC
The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic is responsible for the topic of eHealth. This Ministry has a National eHealth Centre in the Department of IT and Electronic Health Care (ICT). In 2021, the National Board for Electronic Health was established as the eHealth governance board of the country and the National eHealth Centre Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic (IHIS CR) acts as national public eHealth agency. Only outpatient eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources. The Czech Republic counts with Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth.
ESTONIA
The Ministry of Social Affairs is responsible for eHealth, with several departments involved in the topic like the Health Systems or the Digital Development Departments. The state does not have a national eHealth governance board, but there is a public eHealth agency called Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (HWISC). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth services.
FINLAND
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coordinates eHealth in Finland. This entity has a Unit for Digitalisation and Information Management under the Department for Steering of Healthcare and Social Welfare, which could be considered as a national eHealth governance board. Kanta Services is the eHealth agency that produces digital services for the social welfare and healthcare sector at national level. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and several Comprehensive Cancer Centres work on eHealth services.
FRANCE
The Ministerial Delegation for Digital Health (Délégation ministérielle au numérique en santé, DNS) is responsible for eHealth in France and acts as the national governance board for the topic. The state has also its public eHealth agency, called Digital Health Agency (Agence du numérique en santé, ANS). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are several Comprehensive Cancer Centres in the country.
GERMANY
The Federal Ministry of Health is responsible for eHealth on the national level and counts with a Directorate on Digitalisation and Innovation that is in charge of the topic in Germany. There is no national eHealth governance board in the state, but a working group on eHealth. Gematik (Nationale Agentur für Digitale Medizin) is the national agency for digital health of the country. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth services.
GREECE
The Ministry of Health is the primary organisation accountable for eHealth in Greece. The state counts with a National eHealth Council and a public eHealth agency called IDIKA (e-Government Centre for Social Security). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres that can work on eHealth services.
HUNGARY
The Ministry of Human Resources and of Interior are responsible for eHealth in the country and the Health IT Service and Development Center (Egészséginformatikai Szolgáltató és Fejlesztési Központ Nonprofit Kft. ESZFK) is the national eHealth agency for Hungary. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there is one Comprehensive Cancer Centre (the National Institute of Oncology) in the country. The country does not provide information about a national eHealth governance board.
IRELAND
The Department of Health is responsible for eHealth initiatives and policies in Ireland and the Health Service Executive (HSE) is the national service provider. In addition, the eHealth Telehealth Program is governed by the National Telehealth Steering Committee and HSE acts as the public agency for the topic. Only inpatient eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in Ireland and there is no information about the outpatient sector.
ITALY
The Ministry of Health as well as the Ministry of Technology deal with eHealth in Italy. The first one has the Direzione generale della digitalizzazione, del sistema informativo sanitario e della statistica. It is unclear if a national eHealth board established in 2004 is still operating nowadays. The Agenzia per L’italia digitale functions on the national level. Outpatient eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources, but there is no information about the inpatient sector. Italy counts with Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth.
LATVIA
The Ministry of Health has a Deputy Secretary of State for Digitization and Change Management. In addition, issues of eHealth are dealt with by the National Health Service, that assumes the role of a public eHealth agency. Latvia has a national eHealth governance board called Digital Health Council. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
LITHUANIA
The Ministry of Health coordinates and supervises the implementation of the eHealth System. It has a Health System Information Resources Development Division. E. sveikatos valdyba is the national eHealth governance board for Lithuania. There is not a public eHealth agency in the country, but the State Enterprise Centre of Registers takes up this role. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the state.
LUXEMBOURG
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Security oversee eHealth matters and it has a specific unit called santé digitale (digital health). The Agence eSanté is the national eHealth agency and is organised in the form of an eHealth governance board. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in Luxembourg.
MALTA
The Ministry for Health is responsible for eHealth and has a Digital Health Steering Committee (DigiComm) in place that is the eHealth governance board. There is not a public eHealth agency as such, but the Information Management Unity from the Ministry of Health takes this role. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
NETHERLANDS
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) is in charge of digital healthcare solutions. There is a national eHealth governance board called the National Coordination Point for eHealth, but not a public eHealth agency (whose role is taken by the above-mentioned Ministry). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There is no information about Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth.
NORWAY
Responsibility for eHealth in Norway is shared between the Directorates of Health and eHealth, both underlying agencies to the Ministry of Health. There is a national council model for eHealth and a public eHealth agency on the national level called Helsenorge. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are several Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
POLAND
The Ministry of Health is specifically in charge of digitalisation in health, with a department of Innovation. There is a board to oversee eHealth, the Interoperability Council, as well as a public eHealth agency, the eHealth Center (CeZ). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There is no information about Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
PORTUGAL
The Ministry for Health (Ministério da Saúde) is the responsible Ministry for all Health issues, including eHealth. The Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde (SPMS) acts as public eHealth agency, but there is no national governance board in place for the topic. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are several Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
ROMANIA
The Ministry of Health is in charge of eHealth in Romania. The country does not have any national governance boards or public eHealth agencies for the topic. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic oversees eHealth and counts with a Digitisation and Informatics Section. Národné centrum zdravotníckych informácií (NCZI) is the national public eHealth agency of the country, but there is no national governance board in place. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
SLOVENIA
The Ministry of Health (Ministrstvo za zdravje) is in charge of eHealth and has a Directorate for Digitization in Healthcare. The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) acts as public eHealth agency, but there is no national governance board in place. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
SPAIN
The Ministry of Health is responsible for eHealth in Spain on the national level and counts with a Directorate-General for Digital Health and Information Systems. The Digital Health Commission stablished in 2021 serves as the national eHealth governance board of the country, which does not have a public eHealth agency. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. There are not Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in Spain.
SWEDEN
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is responsible for issues such as public health and eHealth. The national eHealth governance board is under the Swedish Agency for Digital Government while the Swedish eHealth Agency is an agency that works to digitalise and improve the sharing of information between patients, the healthcare system and pharmacies in Sweden. Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are Comprehensive Cancer Centres working on eHealth in the country.
SWITZERLAND
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) within the Federal Department of Home Affairs is responsible for eHealth in Switzerland. The Digital Transformation and Steering Directorate drives digitisation in the country’s healthcare sector. There is no eHealth governance body in Switzerland, but there is a public eHealth agency (eHealth Suisse). Some eHealth tools may be (partially) covered by public resources in both the inpatient and outpatient sectors and there are several Comprehensive Cancer Centres in Switzerland working on eHealth services.
OUR X
@WHO_Europe @davidnovillo Nice coincidence with the launch of the new @ecan_ja dashboard that maps the state of play of e-health and cancer care in Europe!
https://ecanja.eu/for-policymakers/
⏪Last week we presented the eCAN #dashboard on #eHealth in #cancer care in Europe 🔍🗺️
@CAH_Favoriten, from the Sustainability WP at @goeg_at, explains some features of our new interactive tool and its purpose in this short video 👇
#EU4Health #HealthUnion
Understanding the current digital health scenario is not an easy task, but we'll try to help you with our eCAN dashboard on eHealth in cancer care in Europe 🔎 🗺
Check this new eCAN tool 👉 https://ecanja.eu/for-policymakers/
#EU4Health #HealthUnion @EU_HaDEA @EU_Health @goeg_at
cc: @ecan_ja