On 27 February, the CEI Headquarters promoted digital health literacy through a local event for which stakeholders converged to hear about the achievements of the IDEAHL project – Improving Digital Empowerment for Active Healthy Living.
CEI Deputy Secretary General Nina Kodelja opened the event and emphasized the pivotal role of digital health literacy in empowering citizens to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare systems.
Attended by representatives from the healthcare and research institutions, regional government, professionals, and university representatives, the discussions focused on digital tools, access to available services and possible gaps and obstacles of improving health literacy, including insights from the M-POHL group on health literacy in Italy, policy recommendations on digital transformation from the DELIVER project, and the challenges and successes of digital health in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region post-national recovery and resilience plan (PNRR).
Overall, the meeting served as a catalyst for promoting dialogue, sharing best practices, and charting a course towards enhanced digital health literacy both locally and across Europe.
Beatrice Delfrate, Director, Information System and Privacy Service, Central Directorate for Health, Social Policies and Disability, Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, emphasised the importance of integrating technology into a human-centric approach, noting its complementary role to the work of healthcare professionals.
Meanwhile, Luigi Palmieri from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) stressed the necessity for a cultural shift towards digital health literacy, highlighting the tangible benefits of digitization on public health outcomes.
A highlight of the event was a dynamic roundtable where participants delved into the core values, components, and outcomes of digital literacy strategy, sparking innovative ideas for further advancement in this field.
The gathering underscores the commitment of stakeholders to empower individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to harness digital technologies for improved health outcomes in an increasingly digital world.
For more info: sinkovic@cei.int