Jim Jefferies welcomes attendees to 2017's Technology for Health: Transforming Healthcare and Wellbeing, in Brussels, focusing on the initiatives taken by IEEE in order to support the integration of innovative digital technologies into healthcare; as well as on importance of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics in tackling many of the ethical questions that are linked to the transformation of healthcare by connected technologies.

Director General DG CNECT of the European Commission Roberto Viola gives a keynote speech emphasising the importance of the digital transformation of society and the economy in all fields, and especially on healthcare. He highlights the role that personalized medicine will be called on to play in the years to come, the customized answers to citizen’s health needs, and the era of genetic medicine which is slowly approaching.

Global Head of Integrated Care Solutions for Agfa HealthCare Joost Felix delivers a keynote speech focusing on the key developments in connected technology for healthcare, and their applications. The address draws on examples from Agfa HealthCare to demonstrate the manner in which technological advances are transforming healthcare, and reflects on what is needed in order to accelerate this transformation, and to ensure the opportunities from this transformation are fully leveraged.

This panel discusses the opportunities created by advances in healthcare stemming from connected technologies such as bio-sensors, smart wearables and implantables. It highlights these technologies’ transformative nature, and focuses on how they can be fully leveraged, while also taking into account the ethical concerns raised by these advances.

Miguel Gonzalez-Sancho, Head of Unit, eHealth, Well-Being and Ageing, DG CNECT of the European Commission, delivers a keynote speech on the role that  European Institutions can play in encouraging the take-up of innovative technologies for healthcare, as well as ensuring that the challenges associated with the digital transformation of healthcare, including ethical challenges, are mitigated.

This panel addresses the nature of the challenges of privacy and data protection, as well as issues related to the ownership, proper management and storage of data, in relation to advances in technology-enabled healthcare, and the tools, such as standardisation, that can assist in establishing interoperability and managing data.

Ilias Iakovidis, Adviser on Societal Challenges DG CNECT, European Commission, delivers a keynote speech on the implications of the digital transformation of healthcare for societal health challenges and in particular for the sustainability of healthcare systems, and the necessary adjustments that must be made in order to ensure their suitability for new technologies.

This panel focuses on the human impact of the digital transformation in healthcare, including how healthcare is delivered, and its impact on lifestyles, wellbeing, and wider society. It also considers the need for ensuring that citizens and patients are kept at the center of the journey to technology-enabled health and wellbeing.

Christopher James, from the University of Warwick and Chair of the IEEE Summit Programme Committee, delivers concluding remarks, giving emphasis on the need to ensure that connected healthcare technologies are fully leveraged, while also taking into account the ethical concerns they create. He also underlines the important role played by R&D, standardization, policy, and regulatory actions in creating the right conditions for bringing cutting-edge technology innovations to market for societal benefit.