ABSTRACT
The European Commission should promote the sharing of experiences of telematics in health promotion and health care between countries and regions, for example by organizing meetings, facilitating exchange visits, providing a clearing house for information and issuing appropriate publications. Policy makers need to be aware that the effectiveness/efficiency potential of telehealth is greater than that of telemedicine, and should commission more research studies in the area of telehealth. At international, national, regional and local level, the Health For All philosophy should be used as a basis for service planning, delivery and evaluation. Health and welfare services do not operate in isolation of other forms of social provision. In the public sector, intersectoral collaboration in provision and use of telematic services will increase their effectiveness and efficiency. Governments should work more closely with the private sector to ensure that the needs of society as well as the needs of industry are being met when products are offered on the market.
