TIA Blog

Jul 8

TIA Files with European Union on the Potential of Mobile Health Solutions

Brian Scarpelli

While TIA is a trade association is physically located in Washington, DC, as an association representing hundreds of global manufacturers, vendors, and suppliers of information and communications technology (ICT), we are always mindful of the international nature of the ICT industry and, similarly, the impact that different approaches by regulators can have on the innovation and investment so important to the industry segments that rely on advanced ICT solutions.

No segment better illustrates this principle than healthcare. Intensely different approaches can be observed across regions and countries to encourage increased use of advanced ICT solutions in healthcare (and the important issues with this segment, such as cybersecurity, privacy, etc.). In our advocacy, TIA takes every opportunity to point out that successful international cooperation will prevent the possibility of geographic-specific standards, technical regulations, or requirements, which would put at risk the global competitiveness and innovation of the ICT sector.

This is why TIA submitted comments on June 3, 2014 to European Union (EU) in response to their recent public consultation on mobile Health (mHealth). In our comments, TIA urged the EU to enhance the use of mHealth through:

  • International cooperation;
  • Significant engagement with global industry;
  • Reliance on voluntary, open, and consensus-based standards; and,
  • Avoidance of policies that would put governments in a position to determine the future design and development of technology.

TIA also provided clinical evidence which demonstrates how mHealth information and communications technology (ICT) holds great potential to curb health care costs, both in Europe and globally.

TIA’s filing specifically described how the digitization of health care is a major growth area for “machine-to-machine” (M2M) communications that enable the timely sharing of patient-generated health data (PGHD). TIA then outlined direct societal benefits provided by enhanced health ICT M2M communications, including:

  • Providing hospitals with the location of critical mobile equipment;
  • Reducing the time it takes health care workers to access that equipment in an emergency;
  • Increasing the efficiency of emergency services; and,
  • Remote monitoring in home settings, among other direct benefits.

We believe that all of these benefits are effects that directly correlate with the inclusion of PGHD, particularly via mobile medical applications, when integrated into and allowed by health care systems. We look forward to working with the EU and other stakeholders to bring eCare solutions to millions of Americans, such as the transmission of real-time sharing of PGHD, and allowing face-to-face visits without the obstacles of time and location.