How to scale up telemedicine for cancer prevention and care? Recommendations for sustainably implementing telemedicine services within EU health systems

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in Europe after cardiovascular diseases. Significant disparities exist across European countries in cancer prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and care, which impact patient outcomes. The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan aims to improve cancer prevention and care through innovative approaches including telemedicine (TM). TM services, such as teleconsultation and telemonitoring, offer opportunities to enhance patient-centered care, improve access to health services, and empower patients. However, challenges remain, including inadequate IT infrastructure, legal uncertainties, funding issues, and varying levels of digital literacy among the population. The eCAN Joint Action (JA), involving 16 European countries, was launched in September 2022 to strengthen eHealth solutions for cancer prevention and care. This JA focused on improving teleconsultation and remote monitoring, building healthcare capacity, and developing interoperable TM solutions. A key outcome was the eCAN policy dashboard, offering a country-specific overview of cancer-related and eHealth policies in European countries. Additionally, the eCAN roadmap proposed 16 recommendations across six intervention areas, addressing regulatory frameworks, stakeholder engagement, infrastructure development, training requirements, healthcare system integration, and outcomes evaluation. These recommendations aim to facilitate TM adoption across Europe. The upcoming JA eCAN+ initiative, starting in 2025, will further build on eCAN's work, advancing the sustainable implementation of TM services in cancer prevention and care in Europe.

Keywords: Cancer; Ehealth; Europe; Recommendations; Telemedicine.