Completing a full retreat from an e-health strategy based on centralized national records, the government of the United Kingdom has unveiled a 10-year blueprint that aims to put the “power of information” in the hands of patients.

Healthcare systems face enormous challenges over the coming years. The increasing demands of an aging population, the rising cost of treatments and medications, and budget shortfalls are all issues that will need to be addressed if Europeans are to continue to enjoy high standards of care. eHealth, enabled by information and communication technologies, offers Europe solutions that can help avoid healthcare crisis.