DIG_IT: The Asthma and COPD Patients’ Digital Journey in Europe

A new report by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA).

Digital health is growing in importance. Driven by 1) the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) the forthcoming EU regulation on the infrastructure of health data, and 3) the growing number of innovative technologies entering the health market, digital solutions have moved to the centre stage.

Digital technologies are aimed at making healthcare more efficient, data-driven and patient-centred. However, this report reveals that patients worry about data privacy and security, plus loss of contact with healthcare providers when using digital health tools and services.
Therefore, Policy-makers must ensure digital health policies, including the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and the WHO Europe Empowerment Through Digital Health Flagship Initiative, are co-designed with those who will use digital technologies for health: patients.

This report is part of the EFA’s Digital Information Technology (DIG_IT) Project, which aims to put patient voices at the heart of these conversations. In doing so, it paves the way to a patient-informed transformation of digital technology use throughout health services.

Find out more here