Vectors and drivers of connected health in Europe: a foundation for integrated care

Coordinated, integrated care requires connected 'inputs, delivery, management and organization of services related to diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and health promotion' (Grone & Barbero, 2002). Connected health (CH) offers a key building block as a 'paradigm shift, looking after the individual and community health in a process that speaks to the health journey of the person, through the entire lifespan, leveraging a variety of technologies to do so”' (ENJECT, 2016). However, CH is failing to reach its full potential – and therefore failing in its contribution to the realization of integrated care. We conducted a multi-disciplinary literature review across business, technology and healthcare journals, triangulated with a survey of CH experts from academia, industry and clinical settings representing 19 European countries (ENJECT, COST Action TD1405).