Svetová zdravotnícka organizácia (WHO) vníma význam elektronického zdravotníctva pre verejné zdravie aj zdravotníctvo ako celok. Preto v máji 2005 prijala rezolúciu
WHA58.28 eHealth, v ktorej vymedzuje stratégiu WHO k elektronickému zdravotníctvu. Vyzýva členské krajiny, aby plánovali využitie elektronického zdravotníctva služieb na národnej úrovni. WHO tiež spustila iniciatívu na monitorovanie elektronického zdravotníctva -
Global Observatory for eHealth.
Vymedzenie elektronického zdravotníctva v dokumente WHO k elektronickému zdravotníctvu - WHA58.28 eHealth
Elektronické zdravotníctvo je efektívny a bezpečný spôsob využitia informačných a komunikačných technológií pri podpore zdravia a aktivít súvisiacich so zdravím; zahŕňa poskytovanie zdravotnej starostlivosti, monitoring verejného zdravia, ale aj zdravotnícku literatúru a vzdelávanie, vedomostnú bázu a vedecký výskum.
WHO odporúča členským krajinám vypracovať dlhodobé, strategické plány pre implementáciu elektronického zdravotníctva, vrátane legislatívneho rámca a infraštruktúry.
Citácia z dokumentu:
„WHO urges Member States:
(1) to consider drawing up a long-term strategic plan for developing and implementing eHealth services in the various areas of the health sector, including health administration, which would include an appropriate legal framework and infrastructure and encourage public and private partnerships;
(2) to develop the infrastructure for information and communication technologies for health as deemed appropriate to promote equitable, affordable, and universal access to their benefits, and to continue to work with information and telecommunication agencies and other partners in order to reduce costs and make eHealth successful;
(3) to build on closer collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors in information and communication technologies, so as to further public services for health and make use of the eHealth services of WHO and other health organizations, and to seek their support in the area of eHealth;
(4) to endeavour to reach communities, including vulnerable groups, with eHealth services appropriate to their needs;
(5) to mobilize multisectoral collaboration for determining evidence-based eHealth standards and norms, to evaluate eHealth activities, and to share the knowledge of cost-effective models, thus ensuring quality, safety and ethical standards and respect for the principles of confidentiality of information, privacy, equity and equality;
(6) to establish national centres and networks of excellence for eHealth best practice, policy coordination, and technical support for health-care delivery, service improvement, information to citizens, capacity building, and surveillance;
(7) to consider establishing and implementing national electronic public-health information systems and to improve, by means of information, the capacity for surveillance of, and rapid response to, disease and public-health emergencies;“