The EDiHTA project was represented at the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) Congress, held in Brussels on 26–27 November 2025. Over two days, the Congress focused on strengthening patient involvement in European health systems, with discussions exploring current challenges, emerging priorities and practical approaches to embed patient perspectives in healthcare design and decision-making.
Bianca Pop, Project Officer at the European Patients’ Forum, highlighted the value of collaboration for patient-centred innovation:
The EPF Congress brought together patients, policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers and industry representatives to promote collaboration in shaping Europe’s healthcare future. The exchanges highlighted that joint efforts are essential to ensure healthcare innovations address real patient needs.
Bianca Pop
| EPF
Patient involvement as a core pillar of EDiHTA
Patient involvement is central to EDiHTA’s approach to developing a European framework for assessing digital health technologies. Through the project’s Patient Advisory Group, patient priorities, lived experiences and real-world use considerations are integrated into the framework development process, helping ensure that assessment approaches reflect what matters to those who will ultimately use and benefit from digital tools in health and care.
At the Congress, EPF, in partnership with the European Health Management Association (EHMA), presented a poster highlighting how patients contribute to EDiHTA’s work and how patient input supports the project’s goal of advancing more person-centred, trustworthy and usable digital health technologies.
Reflecting on this contribution, Bianca Pop added:
As part of the EDiHTA project, the Patient Advisory Group has played a key role, offering insights that guarantee digital health technologies are patient-centred and aligned with day-to-day patient care. We remain committed to advancing these efforts, ensuring the patient perspective is integrated at every stage of the project.
Bianca Pop
| EPF
Alexis Strader, Director of Policy and Research at EHMA, also emphasised the value of the Congress as a forum for exchange across communities working on patient involvement and innovation:
The Congress provided a valuable opportunity to engage with stakeholders working at the intersection of patient involvement, innovation and healthcare. Discussions confirmed strong interest in approaches that support the responsible use of digital health technologies and patient-centred perspectives.
Alexis Strader
| EHMA
Looking ahead
Insights and exchanges from the EPF Congress will feed into EDiHTA’s ongoing work, reinforcing the project’s commitment to meaningful patient involvement and supporting efforts to embed patient perspectives consistently across the development of the Digital HTA framework.