Table 1 International eHealth regimes

Norms

Origin

Millennium development goals

Science and technology policy

Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs

Problem perception

Fighting poverty and poor health; insufficient resources in developing countries

Insufficient coordination between state agencies; insufficient ICT infrastructure

Ageing societies; increasing costs

Objectives

Advice and recommendations regarding knowledge/technology; cooperation between public and private actors

Technology diffusion; higher quality health care; establishing the market for eHealth solutions

Driver for economic growth; more efficient and higher quality of health care delivery; market creation

Rules

Procedures

Supporting activities of the WHO; WHO works with other IOs

Commissioned evaluation reports; workshops with member country reps.

Participation open to member states (and sometimes to stakeholders)

Actors

States, stakeholders

States, stakeholders

States, stakeholders

Policy instruments

Benchmarking by WHO, standard setting, coordination of standardization organizations, policy and technology advice, and monitoring

Best practices, policy and technology diffusion, and learning between member states

Establishment of standardization projects for member states, policy and technology recommendations, priority setting, and project funding