Press invitation 20 April 2005

• How eHealth can improve the availability and quality of health services,
• How patient safety and productivity can be enhanced, and
• How eHealth can help to make it possible for services to function across national borders, reducing the disadvantages that result from the greater mobility of patients and health professionals in and between the countries of Europe.

Ministers of health and ICT ministers from all EU's member states, countries applying for EU membership and EFTA countries have been invited to the conference. So far, 11 ministers have registered for the conference. More than 200 participants have stated that they will be arriving in Tromsø, and registration is continuing.
The EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Markos Kyprianou, will discuss key aspects of the EU's health policy, including issues related to mental health. Kyprianou has been a member of the European Commission since May 2004.

Richard Granger - the "ICT Czar" at Britain's National Health Service (NHS) - will share his experience from the programmes to digitize the public health services. The UK has made great progress in eHealth and is using substantial resources to modernize the sector. The aim is to provide improved, faster and more accessible services to the population.
Can TV be used to influence children's lifestyle and habits? Magnus Scheving from Iceland will demonstrate how TV can be used to promote a healthy lifestyle for children. Scheving produces a TV programme that has attracted considerable attention in many countries, including the USA, Germany, Canada and Sweden. For the up-to-date programme, please see www.ehealth2005.no
Further information is available from the project manager for eHealth 2005, Espen Dennis Kristoffersen, at telephone +47 24163520.

To help journalists from all over Europe in the best possible way, we need to know how many journalists are coming to Tromsø. For this reason, please register electronically and request accreditation using our Web page, www.ehealth2005.no, under the "Press" menu by 15 May.