At the invitation of the European Commission (DG CONNECT), the GSMA participated in a panel discussion on 5G Connectivity to meet demanding services: the example of mobile health at the Commission’s ICT 2015 Conference on 22 October 2015.
On the panel, GSMA Vice President Europe Afke Schaart joined stakeholders representing hospitals, universities and SMEs active in the area of eHealth. Given the potential of 5G technologies to enhance mobile health services, the panel discussed potential new service offerings and what changes will be needed from a policy and regulatory perspective.
Although many innovative mobile health services, including remote monitoring and consultations, and management of hospital information systems, can effectively be delivered today via 4G technologies, 5G is likely to improve these services by increasing bandwidth and continuity. Regardless of the underlying technologies, patients and healthcare professionals need to have access to mobile health services that they can trust.
To enable the adoption of mobile health services in Europe, clear, proportionate and risk-based regulation is needed in key areas, such as medical devices and data protection and privacy. In addition, innovative mobile health services need to be recognised and integrated into national healthcare systems, allowing for funding and reimbursement and inclusion in care pathways.
The European Commission’s ICT 2015 Conference provided a valuable opportunity for the GSMA to convey key messages for policy and regulation in the area of mobile health in particular and the Internet of Things in general. At the event, Afke presented the mHealth Grand Tour as an important case study. An epic bike ride, the mHealth Grand Tour demonstrates how mobile solutions can help people with diabetes better manage their condition. Held in September, the 2015 Tour from Brussels to Geneva tested an innovative mHealth monitoring and coaching solution developed and implemented by a partnership involving players from the mobile, IT and medical technology sectors. Falling under the jurisdiction of several national healthcare and regulatory systems and bringing together different devices and technologies, the Grand Tour highlighted how technical and regulatory barriers in the area of mobile health can be overcome.
At the ICT 2015 Conference, more than 1,300 people registered for the session on 5G and mobile health session, reflecting the high level of interest in this topic. The European Commission and the other stakeholders involved appreciated the GSMA’s contribution.