A set of policy recommendations have been drafted by the European Diabetes Forum (EUDF), emphasising the importance of digitalisation, data registries and integrated care to improve the quality of diabetes care.
Digitalisation, in particular, promises new developments in diabetes care after the recent unveiling of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), which is expected to revolutionise the European healthcare system. This new digital potential also brings new challenges – including data protection – and the need to rethink how digital tools are used to address the need of patients. A key policy aim of the EU executive for all these initiatives is about not widening the gap between those who can and cannot access these digital tools. In their recommendations, the EUDF experts suggest the development of a best practice access pathway, including processes to enable or accelerate access to digital health apps harmonised at the EU level.
Another aspect to be addressed is the interoperability between the many apps available on the internet, particularly if patients decide to move from one digital tool to another, and the EHDS proposal is expected to make the exchange of data between the different management systems and across borders easier.
The digital automisation of diabetes registries is also included in the EHDS proposal, as these can inform decision-makers in real-time on health care resource allocations with an added value to the quality of diabetes care.
About 32.3 million adults were diagnosed with diabetes in the EU in 2019.
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