WASHINGTON – An eHealth agreement, promoting a common approach on the interoperability of EHRs and on training the health IT workforce, was signed between Europe and the United States on Friday.

Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius signed the Memorandum of Understanding in Washington. The agreement aims to boost the potential of the eHealth market for EU companies wishing to do business in the U.S. and vice-versa.

"Nothing makes more of a difference to people's lives than good health," said Kroes. "I warmly welcome today's agreement. It is an excellent basis for the Commission and the U.S. authorities to expand our cooperation on promoting the overall benefits of eHealth for patients, health systems and companies."

The memorandum stresses the need for a joint vision on internationally recognized and utilized interoperability standards for electronic health record systems and increased competences and mobility of IT professionals. Such common standards are important to achieve widespread interoperable eHealth services so that eHealth can reach its full global market potential, said officials.

Potential activities foreseen within the framework of the memorandum include the following:

• Exchanges of information on ongoing activities that are carried out directly by the Commission and HHS, and that are relevant to the promotion of eHealth
• Exchanges of delegations and specialists, selected with the endorsement of the Commission and HHS, for example in the framework of the Commission's eHealth Governance Initiative
• Establishment of joint working groups to identify specific strategies for achieving shared goals, and
• Collaboratively organized meetings, scientific conferences, workshops and/or symposia

Officials say the partnership between the EU and the U.S., sends a strong signal to all stakeholders that common standards and interoperability bring opportunities for a global approach for the benefit of patients, health systems and the market.