Second ARGOS Workshop Georges De Moor (November 12, 2010) This project is funded by the European Union

Project Funding and Duration The ARGOS project is one of the Pilot Projects in the 7th Framework Programme « Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges » funded by the European Commission, DG Relex C.1 (US and Canada). Duration: 18 months (1 January 2010 – 30 June 2011) In Greek mythology, Argos was a giant whose epithet "Panoptes" (i.e. "all-seeing") led to him being described as having multiple (often a hundred) eyes.

General Objectives The overall goal of the ARGOS Project is to contribute to establishing a “Transatlantic Observatory” in order to develop “Common Methods for responding to Global eHealth Challenges in the EU and the US”. The Observatory will promote mutual understanding and learning among EU and US policy researchers and policy makers on general challenges with a global dimension. In spite of great variations in social models and health system structures, many of the questions and issues are the same, reason why trans-Atlantic co- operation is beneficial. cf. possible future MoU between the EC and the US Department of Health and Human Services on « Cooperation on Health related ICT » (Neelie Kroes & Kathleen Sebelius)

Partners EuroRec (the EuroRec Institute for Health Records) Project Co-ordinator Empirica (Gesellsch.für Kommunikations- & Technologieforsch) Germany Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli Italy AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) (US Co-ordinator) University at Buffalo (Ontology Research Group) (Policy Advisory Board: delegates from the EC,ONC and NIH/IMAG)

Target Areas (1) Interoperability in eHealth and certification of Electronic Health Record systems (EHRs); Definition of a common, consistent approach and identification of indicators and tools for measuring the adoption, usage and benefits of eHealth; Modeling and simulation of human physiology and diseases with a focus on the Virtual Physiological Human (VPH).

Key Outputs A Comparative Analysis of current US and EU approaches; Workshops in the US and the EU involving the different stakeholder groups; Reports and publications: three Policy Briefs (one per target area) documenting the three subprojects’ findings and recommendations; The “ARGOS project finale” Global Conference (April 2011, Brussels).

Target Areas (2) Semantic Interoperability in eHealth with also focus on the re-use of EHR data, the exchange of summary records, need of more clinical engagement … Certification of Electronic Health Record systems (EHRs) … but US policy inflexibility (cf. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) Measuring adoption, usage and benefits of eHealth: evidence at macro- and micro levels, importance of the meaningful use of Health IT approach Virtual Physiological Human (VPH): VPH infostructure vision (maintenance!) Health IT Work Force (?): the shortage of (accredited) health IT workers Public and Population Health (?)

Workshop: Goals & General Questions To help in establishing the Transatlantic Observatory To develop a better understanding of the possibilities for specific topics What would the future ARGOS Observatory work on? How would ARGOS establish the priority order for its efforts? What is the kind of structure (governance) that would enable to work? cf. the ARGOS 2020 Vision document (for discussion only)

Breakout Sessions: Topics TOPIC 1: Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) TOPIC 2: Benchmarks and Economic Benefits TOPIC 3a: Semantic Interoperability and Reuse of Data TOPIC 3b: Semantic Interoperability and Summary Records TOPIC 4: Certification of EHRs (incl. eHealth Workforce)

Thanks for listening!