Over the past weeks, the EDiHTA project has been presented and discussed at prominent conferences across Europe. Members of the EDiHTA project showcased the project’s ambitions and engaged with interested stakeholders at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference, the European Health Management Association (EHMA) conference, and the Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) conference in Rome, IT, Bucharest, RO and Seville, ES, respectively.
HIMSS24: Bridging Gaps in Digital Health
At the HIMSS conference, the EDiHTA project team highlighted their mission to streamline and enhance HTA processes through digital innovation. The conference, known for its emphasis on health information and technology, provided a perfect platform for EDiHTA to demonstrate the project’s mission and vision of developing the first digital European HTA framework. The EDiHTA presentation received positive feedback, with many participants expressing the importance of a holistic European HTA framework to fulfil the potential of digital healthcare technologies to transform healthcare delivery.
At HIMSS we had a chance to introduce EDiHTA to the technical experts and digital health technology developers that will mostly benefit from the results emerging from this initiative. We are developing a framework that will enable developers to invest their effort in innovation that truly matters to patients and meets the expectations of relevant stakeholders.
Valentina Strammiello
European Patient’s Forum (EPF)
At HIMSS conference we had the possibility to present EDiHTA project as part of the innovation forum where prof. Americo Cicchetti and Marco Marchetti as part of the panel explained to a large and divers audience the need of a harmonised HTA framework dedicated to digital health technologies. Moreover, we presented as part of the EU projects session with the PM of the EDiHTA project and this presence was later supported with getting to reach out to many digital health specialist, mostly developers and manufacturers interested in collaborating with the project team. Finally an interview of the EDiHTA PM at HIMSS TV will soon be available as part of the dissemination and outreach of the project. The involvement strategy was highlighted and many new partners have declared their interest in participating actively.
Emmanouil Tsiasiotis
Project Manager EDiHTA
EHMA Conference: Collaborative Efforts for Better Health Management
During the EHMA conference, EDiHTA members focused on the importance of collaboration in HTA across Europe. The EHMA conference, which gathers health managers, policymakers, and researchers, was an ideal venue for discussing the project’s goals and achievements. The EDiHTA team emphasised the importance of stakeholder and patient engagement and presented case studies showcasing successful implementation of their digital tools in various European healthcare settings. The discussions underlined the need for integrated efforts to tackle common challenges in health management.
The EDiHTA panel discussion at the EHMA conference highlighted the clear need for a pan-European HTA framework for the assessment of digital health technologies (DHTs). It emphasised that each stakeholder in the panel has a unique contribution to make to capture the real added value of DHTs for the benefit of patients.
Julie Spony
EPF Policy Officer
At EHMA conference we organised a dedicated session to digital health technologies where the various points of view of different stakeholders were presented. This session shed more light into the different needs for the various stakeholder groups and we formed new collaborations that will follow the project in the 4 year lifecycle. It is also important to note that the central-easter European zone is widely part of the project through HPI and therefore being present at Bucharest for the EHMA conference highlighted the need of engaging the stakeholders of this EU zone.
Emmanouil Tsiasiotis
Project Manager EDiHTA
HTAI Conference: Enhancing Synergies in Health Technology
At the HTAi conference, our EDiHTA team had a unique opportunity to connect with leading minds in Health Technology Assessment from all corners of the world. Together, we explored the vital role of HTA in driving health innovation. The conference offered various formats, including plenary and panel sessions, poster presentations, demonstrations and many more. Our team was proud to present our project at the dedicated poster session and demonstration booth, showcasing its complexity and significance in bringing together diverse stakeholder groups to deliver a comprehensive HTA framework allowing the assessment for DHTs.
At HTAI in Seville, the most important HTA annual meeting in the world, the voice of EDiHTA project was heard in various places and sessions, from Interest group pre-workshop activities, to poster presentation and a great panel session with fishbowl method where the need of an HTA framework was highlighted again be a variety of stakeholders. the main message was the EDiHTA framework is expected firstly in Europe but then also in a global scale where further implementation of digital health technologies should be supported. HTA bodies, policy makers patients, clinicians and researchers have shared their availability with the project team in co-designing the new EDiHTA framework. Finally it was great to meet more than half members of the consortium and share some insights of the early work that has been going into the project.
Emmanouil Tsiasiotis
Project Manager EDiHTA
HTAi 2024 was a key opportunity to introduce EDiHTA to the relevant experts in the field of HTA as well as patients and other stakeholders. The engaging discussions around digital health and HTA show that EDiHTA is on the frontline to bring innovative methods for assessments of digital health technologies.
Valentina Strammiello
European Patient’s Forum (EPF)
These conferences showed the importance of building robust networks and synergies among HTA stakeholders in Europe. By fostering collaboration between different countries and institutions, EDiHTA aims to create a holistic, validated and ready-to-use European HTA framework.
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