Strategic and specific evaluations of the products and prototypes produced within the Health Telematics Programme, will constitute the first important stage of the work to be accomplished. Analysis of the results of projects, according to their impact on more transversal issues, will be a second essential element of this work. For example, this will involve looking at economic and social impacts, relationship to EU Policies, quality aspects, legal, security and ethical issues. Given the rapid evolution of the sector, a strategic market and innovation watch represents another essential component of any attempt to obtain a wider view of impact. The change from the Third to the Fourth Framework Programme is characterised by greater emphasis on dissemination and validation activities and a move towards implementation.
European practices depends on easy access to information on available prototypes and products.
Knowledge regarding the wider effects and details of the state of the art in health telematics combined with a range of appropriate indicators should also be available. All this information requires professional organisation, attractive packaging and distribution using a variety of approaches including the latest technologies. A number of particular needs have emerged, clearly, during the Third Framework Programme. Secondly, health policy-makers need to form a broad overview of progress in health telematics to allow them to develop a coherent approach to the integration of these technologies within the overall context of health planning and management. Finally, European industry needs both general and specific information which will facilitate assessment of the maturity and market potential of their products and how to design strategies to optimise returns over the intermediate to long term.