From 2020-2022 the Goce Delcev University, as a mono beneficiary grant recipient, will conduct Jean Monnet Project titled as EU E-Health and North Macedonia: From Current Practice to Implementation.
This project is supported by the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Action of the European Union and the Goce Delcev University in Shtip, Republic of North Macedonia.
Background of the project
Traditional healthcare is changing in North Macedonia. Mobile health delivery, personalized medicine, and social media health applications are creating a new landscape of information and communication technologies with an aim to improve healthcare, or ‘eHealth’. This new landscape is taking shape against the backdrop of existing national laws and regulations in North Macedonia but also European Union (“EU”) Directives and Decisions. It is imperative that future eHealth developers, sellers and service providers – stakeholders in the area of eHealth - are aware of the restraints and requirements that these laws, regulations and decisions impose. Moreover, North Macedonia should share a commitment to the healthcare system strengthening with the Member States. Aspiration for the state to get in line with the tendency of transforming health services in order to meet the health challenges of the 21st century and to move towards EU Digital Transformation of Health and Care in the Digital Single Market. By raising the awareness of relevant rights for each stakeholder under eHealth laws, particularly the EU Policies, Strategies, Directives, Decisions, current EU legal framework and law-making mechanisms relevant to EU Digital Health Law, there is a greater likelihood that the transformation from traditional medical delivery to e-Health will be successful in the country of North Macedonia, especially on its trajectory to becoming a member state in the EU. Likewise, it will help ensure that stakeholders are compliant with relevant laws and regulations, delivery of health care, data protection and confidentiality, medical informatics and ethics.
Objectives
This project will meet the EU`s objectives and, additionally, support the transformation of E-Health initiatives in North Macedonia. The main objective of the project is to promote academic research and discussion about the implementation of the EU legal framework for e-Health law in the country of North Macedonia, by utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach, an approach grounded in the universal right to health care and the multi-dimensional delivery, i.e., law, medicine, ethics, IT, and economics. The EU`s roadmap for digital health aims to improve the health and well-being of its members' population, reduce health inequities and ensure universal health coverage. The specific objectives of the project will include: (a) the mapping of laws and regulations relevant to the health sector and information reformed system; (b) the recognition of the unique nature of eHealth technology and guidance on best practices for compliance with the laws and regulations; (c) acquisition of technology in public health and е-health services delivery (d) the introduction of bioethics to digital eHealth initiatives and the (e) development of a coherent picture of the instructional goals for a developing curriculum.
The project objectives will be implemented through several specific activities: events, lectures, e-teaching materials, research papers, roundtables, study visits, seminar and multidisciplinary international conference.
The project activities will be delivered by multidisciplinary team from the University, well experienced with high-level backgrounds, with strong support from local practitioners and non-local experts, lecturers and practitioners.