eHealth Week 2010 is this year's main European event for the ICT sector in the health field. Organisers expect it to bring together nearly 3,000 participants from around the world, 120 internationally renowned speakers, and more than 95 companies from the sector.

The event will be held at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) at Forum Barcelona. This is the first time that the High-Level eHealth Conference, hosted by the presidency of the European Union, and World of Health IT (WoHIT) Conference & Exhibition will be held together.

eHealth Week 2010 will take place in Barcelona from 15 to 18 March 2010. It is an umbrella event for the two most important European eHealth events: the European Union (EU) High-Level eHealth Conference 2010 and the World of Health IT (WoHIT) 2010 Conference & Exhibition. This is the first time they have been held in the same place and during the same week.

The Spanish presidency of the EU is organising the High-Level eHealth Conference, where representatives of the 27 EU countries will analyse the current implementation of eHealth and move ahead in the development of common strategies in this field. This high-level meeting will be followed by a conference that will bring together leading international figures in the eHealth sector between 15 and 18 March.

On 15 March, in addition to the ministerial meetings, the European Regions’ Forum '20 Years of eHealth in Europe, the Role of the Regions' will take place. At this forum, health ministers from Spain and other European countries will examine the most innovative projects implemented in Spanish and European regions. The Catalan Minister for Health, Marina Geli, will open the European Regions’ Forum, together with the Undersecretary for the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy.

In parallel, from 16 to 18 March, the WoHIT (World of Health IT) 2010 Conference & Exhibition will bring together the most outstanding international companies in the field of eHealth. This event is a meeting point for the ICT industry and health organisations and professionals, and it offers an extensive programme of presentations and roundtable discussions, as well as the opportunity for companies to present the latest technological innovations applied to health.

eHealth Week 2010 is taking shape as this year's main European event for the ICT sector in the health field. Organisers expect nearly 3,000 participants from around the world and more than 95 companies from the sector to gather in 7,500 square metres of exhibition space at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) at Forum Barcelona.

Health topics and challenges to be covered at the conference
Experts from around the world will make presentations on topics related to eHealth, including electronic medical records, electronic medical prescriptions, telemedicine, wireless device connections and applications, and telecare for chronic diseases.

The structural and technological aspects of eHealth will also be emphasised. Presentations will address the interconnectivity of systems in an increasingly globalised world, how Europe and the United States can cooperate in the eHealth sector, and what solutions and standards are being applied in the European Union to enable interoperability between different information systems.

In addition to technological applications and information systems, another area for discussion will be ICT as a strategic tool to provide solutions to today's great health challenges, such as ageing populations in developed countries, increased prevalence of mental health problems due to greater life expectancy, chronic conditions requiring continuous healthcare, pandemics, outbreaks of infectious diseases, malaria, AIDS, natural disasters, and so on.

The design of health policies for the implementation of ICT by government agencies will be another of the important areas covered, as will the challenges and uncertainties in regard to security and confidentiality in view of the massive and intense management of genetic and health data, and the types of solutions that are available.

Health and ICT in Catalonia
The Government of Catalonia and its government agencies believe that the implementation of new information and communications technologies (ICT) is a strategic priority, which is to be achieved through investment in innovation and research by the Ministry of Health.

ICT is a key element in improving the health of citizens, making the work of professionals and centres easier, and achieving a more efficient, equitable and sustainable health system.

Investment in ICT will in fact directly benefit the main actors of the health system: the public, professionals and healthcare centres. People will be able to take greater responsibility for their health and they will have more access to information and test results, and there will be a reduction in the risks associated with duplicated tests and treatments.

Healthcare centres and professionals will be able to transfer information more quickly and cheaply, and coordinate their work more easily. Consequently, they will have the tools to offer improved clinical and economic management and better service to the public.

The strategic investment in ICT by the Ministry of Health is in harmony with the conception of the health sector as a key driving force of innovation and economic growth in Catalonia, in terms of the generation of added value and jobs.

Strategic eHealth projects in Catalonia