While digital health solutions, such as wearables and apps, could change the way healthcare is delivered, improving the health of millions of patients, their improvement to be user friendly by patients and the uptake of use has been slow and variable across Europe.

Patients are not getting the most out of new digital health solutions – this needs to change.

What is EPIS?

Established in 2016, the European Patient Innovation Summit (EPIS) is a platform for patient advocates from across Europe to discuss all aspects of digital health and to achieve consensus on the patients’ position on different issues relating to the digital world and health. EPIS includes an annual event, and is organised and funded by Novartis. Content is developed together with a Steering Committee of representatives from patient organisations who advocate on behalf of the patient community.

Each year, the Summit provides a unique opportunity for European patient advocates to come together, breaking down linguistic barriers to discuss common problems and identify solutions. The Summit uses an innovative multi-site and multi-lingual format to enable patient advocates to learn more about developments in digital health and discuss how to embed a stronger patient voice within the digital health ecosystem. It can be attended by participants in person via local country “hubs” or it can be followed online.

EPIS has led to the creation of a Position Paper with recommendations to address the key factors that have prevented patients from truly benefiting from digital health solutions and a Call to Action to bring these recommendations to life.

The vision

A world where people living with chronic conditions have the ability to actively engage in digital health solutions that can improve their health and wellbeing.

The mission

EPIS provides a platform for patient leaders to understand, participate and exchange in developments in the digital health ecosystem and to engage with other stakeholders in this space to ensure that digital solutions are co-conceived and co-created with patients.

Introducing EPIS

Meet the current EPIS steering committee members

Birgit
Bauer

2016-2021

European Multiple Sclerosis Platform

Denis
Costello

2018-2021

CML Advocates Network

Christina
Fasser

2016-2021

Retina International

Stanimir
Hasurdjiev

2016-2021

National Patients' Organisation, Bulgaria

Neil
Johnson

2016-2021

Croí, Cardiac and Stroke Foundation Global Heart Hub, Ireland

Valeria
Ramiconi

2021

European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations

Gilliosa
Spurrier-Bernard

2020-2021

Melanome France

Guy
Golan

2021

Novartis

Federica
Castiglione

2021

Novartis

We want to thank all past Steering Committee members for their valuable contributions to EPIS

Mathieu
Boudes

2020

European Patients’ Forum

Patrick
Little

2018-2020

European Migraine and Headache Alliance

Susanna
Palkonen

2020

European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations

Giuseppe
de Carlo

2018-2019

European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations

Jan
Koren

2018-2019

EUROPSO, The European Umbrella Organisation for Psoriasis Movements

Elena Ruiz de la Torre Gomez

2016-2017

European Migraine and Headache Alliance

Ottfrid
Hillmann

2016-2017

EUROPSO, The European Umbrella Organisation for Psoriasis Movements

Raj
Mahapatra

2016-2017

Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation

Christoph
Thalheim

2016-2017

European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP)

Jane
Whelan

2016-2017

European Migraine and Headache Alliance

Donatella
Decise

2020

Novartis

Annekatrin
Krause

2018-2020

Novartis

Sanja
Njegic

2016-2017

Novartis

David
Palacios

2018-2019

Novartis

Countries that have participated in EPIS

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Argentina
  • Austria
  • Bahrain
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Colombia
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Egypt
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lithuania
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Russian Federation
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

As patients, we have years of experience of our disease and know what could be done to make it better – we don’t have to do the technology ourselves, but we must make sure the people who do, know what we want – and we must explain this very clearly

Birgit Bauer European Multiple Sclerosis Platform Germany