Healthcare providers in Europe are facing incongruous challenges, including an aging population and an increase in chronic diseases or long-term conditions, while having to meet an overriding need to reduce costs and maintain high quality healthcare. These necessities fuel the demand for e-health IT in general, and electronic health records (EHR) in particular, but also create a new set of challenges, especially in the field of data protection. Western European countries have deployed EHR solutions for some time, with local players still having a strong position in the local markets. However, the consolidation of healthcare providers and insurers alters the scale of the installations and increases opportunities for international players. Their increasing geographic expansion prompts questions about how easily and cost effectively EHR solutions can be adapted to local conditions.
