It is difficult to determine the amounts with which the EU has supported its member states in the digitalization of health systems. This is evident from a special report by the European Court of Auditors. In the planning periods 2014–2020 and 2021–2027, EUR 2.4 billion were made available under cohesion policy, which aims to strengthen cohesion in the EU. An additional EUR 13.6 billion came from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), established to manage the Corona pandemic. Funds also flowed through other programs.
However, some EU countries had difficulties applying for and using EU support due to the complexity of the various funding programs.
The Corona pandemic has significantly increased the need for digital technology for healthcare (keyword electronic health services) throughout the EU. The need for coordination has also increased with the pandemic. Furthermore, better exchange of health data in the EU must be ensured. While responsibility for health policy lies with the EU countries, and they must ensure that health services and medical care are provided, the EU is intended to support them in this.
"EU funds for the digitalization of healthcare were provided through several programs managed by different departments of the European Commission, each with its own rules and administrative arrangements," said Joëlle Elvinger, the Member of the Court of Auditors responsible for the audit. "This made it difficult for some Member States to identify available funds and hindered them in their applications."
The auditors found that the EU Commission had provided effective support and guidance overall. The audited projects in the selected countries (Spain, Malta, and Poland) also contributed to the digitalization of healthcare. For example, one project improved the remote care of patients with chronic diseases, while another helped to create a digital health platform in an EU country, digitalize hospitals, and connect them to the national platform.
However, the audit report also identifies several problems. For example, EU countries have encountered obstacles in accessing EU funds. These include, for instance, complex funding options and insufficient administrative capacities, as well as difficulties in securing national co-financing. The auditors also note that neither the Commission nor most EU countries have a comprehensive overview of the EU funds used for the projects in question.
The EU Commission has monitored progress in the digitalization of the healthcare sector within the framework of the "Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030". To this end, it has used the so-called eGovernment Benchmark since 2022 and the Digital Decade's "eHealth Indicator" since 2023. These indicators are based on different methodologies and pursue different objectives, but cover similar aspects of access to electronic health records. Several shortcomings were identified in this context during the audit, e.g. regarding the assessment methodology and the accuracy of the information.
The auditors recommend that the EU Commission improve both the accuracy of the information it provides to those affected and its reporting on the use of EU funds for the digitalization of the healthcare sector within the framework of the various funding programmes by 2026.
The EU has been promoting the digitalization of healthcare for more than 20 years. To this end, it primarily uses "soft" instruments such as recommendations and non-binding targets. The COVID-19 crisis has led to the EU policy in this area being strengthened through the adoption of binding decisions and regulations.
In 2021, the European Commission launched a public consultation on an EU initiative for a European Health Data Space. The right to access one’s own health data in electronic form was considered important by 88% of the consultation participants. According to the Eurobarometer survey on the digital decade published in 2023, a clear majority of respondents (76%) expect digital technologies to have a decisive impact on access to or use of healthcare services by 2030 (e.g. telemedicine and artificial intelligence for diagnosing diseases) – including in EU countries where patients are not resident.
Special Report 25/2024, “Digitalisation of healthcare: EU support for Member States effective overall, but challenges remain in the use of EU funds”, is available on the European Court of Auditors’ website. This report follows up on the Special Report on EU actions for cross-border healthcare, in which the European Court of Auditors concluded in 2019 that while progress had been made in providing information to EU citizens about cross-border healthcare, such information remained difficult to access in some areas.
https://www.eca.europa.eu/de
