Global demand for innovative medical technology solutions continues to grow as we live longer, healthier lives. "Medical devices made in Germany" make a significant contribution to enhancing patient health care and quality of life around the world. Medical technologies developed in Germany benefit from a world-class research and business environment, with the sector's predominantly small and medium-sized companies enjoying an international reputation as innovators and market leaders.

COCIR has launched the newest edition of its eHealth Toolkit, subtitled 'Integrated Care: Breaking the Silos'. This year's toolkit focuses on the value of Integrated Care, the challenges in implementing it and how health ICT technologies and procurement possibilities can facilitate it. The toolkit outlines supporting IT concepts, such as Cloud Computing and Managed Services, which will help Integrated Care becoming a reality.

Crowdfunding is most often used by startup companies or growing businesses as a way of accessing alternative funds. It is an innovative way of sourcing funding for new projects, businesses or ideas. It can also be a way of cultivating a community around your offering. By using the power of the online community, you can also gain useful market insights and access to new customers.

Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP) is financed by the European Commission and the 22 countries that constitute the partner states of this joint initiative: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

This report acts as a 'taster' for those interested in understanding more about how today's emerging technology trends could impact upon society in ways yet to be fully considered by policy-makers and the public. Europe in the 21st Century is a 'technological society'. Its citizens have seen rapid technological progress occur over a matter of decades; progress which has taken place at virtually every level of society and throughout the economy.

A study by the analytics division of HIMSS UK has, for the first time, highlighted a correlation between the maturity of IT within NHS hospitals and improvements to patient outcomes. The research, which combines data from 91 NHS hospitals in England together with HIMSS Europe's proprietary EMRAM capability data (Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model) demonstrates that

Substantial health gains can be achieved from a healthier lifestyle and if countries were on par with today's healthiest lifestyle there would be up to a 3 year increase in life expectancy. However, the effect of lifestyle on health spending remains unclear and seems to disappear when overall wealth (GDP per capita) is taken into account. These are the main conclusions of the recently published study.