The present and future of cardiological telemonitoring in Europe: a statement from seven European countries.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide, placing a significant burden on individuals, families and healthcare systems. Telemedicine, in particular remote monitoring of patients with cardiovascular diseases, reduces this burden as it links the continuous monitoring of the health status with individual education and adaptation of the therapy to the needs of the patients. This improves patient outcomes and facilitates access to specialised healthcare services, independent of time and distance. Furthermore, telemedicine enables improvements in efficiency and promotes patients' self-care. However, the widespread adoption of remote patient monitoring faces several hurdles. A round table of experts from seven European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) reviewed the current state of telemedicine within the participating countries in order to learn from each other with an impetus for European co-operation. The creation of reliable regulations, overcoming regional differences, the redefinition of roles and processes, the personalisation of healthcare services, the promotion of innovation and research, the use of artificial intelligence and, finally, the efficient management and safeguarding of healthcare data were identified as key levers for further development of telemedicine. This discussion paper emphasises the need for cross-national research activities, involving all stakeholders, such as researchers, industry and patients, to foster the integration of telemedicine in clinical pathways.