Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/817563
44 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 APRIL 2017 TERESA BAU PUIG, COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT, SPAIN THE main topic of Malta's eHealth Week 2017 is 'Data for Health: the key to personalised sustainable care'. What opportu- nities can the use of Big Data in healthcare offer? Fundamentally, the more data we can collect, the more we can personalise health solutions for pa- tients. We have seen examples in Europe and around the world –es- pecially in the US but also in Asia- where they have been able to collect huge amounts of health and social data and they have been able to do amazing things. It is clear that with the use of Big Data in healthcare we can provide much better health outcomes for European citizens. So it is a very hot topic and that is why it has been selected for eHealth Week. What kind of barriers are you finding in the implementation of new solutions based on Big Data in medical and care practice? There is a lot of sensitivity around sharing data in general. We all know that our health is a very pri- vate and sensitive information. And there are many sceptics around sharing health data. But I think that the more barriers we put up the more we are blocking innovation in healthcare. There was an interest- ing keynote last year at Amsterdam eHealth Week in which Anne-Miek Vroom, Director, IKONE, showed that patients want to share their data if it is anonymised and for re- search purposes. We need to focus on overcoming these barriers be- cause the benefits of sharing data totally outweigh the risks of not do- ing so. The digitisation of healthcare is a challenge in terms of security. How can we assure the transfer processes of health data? I cannot talk about technicalities regarding security issues but there is a great number of companies and startups that focus on this. These companies can guarantee that data can be managed in a secure way. This is a key topic in Malta's eHealth Week and it will also be crucial at the HIMSS Europe Conference next year in Barcelona. I think we need to learn from companies lo- cated around the world which make sure there is not hacking into their data. So it's important to explore what solutions the industry has to offer to make sure hospitals and pa- tients' data is safe. Cross-border exchange of per- sonal health data is another topic of the eHealth Week 2017. How can we foster international coop- eration in order to enhance the deployment of digital health in Europe? This is again where organizations like the European Commission or the World Health Organisation (WHO) can play a really big role, basically pushing member states to share data across-border and to inform countries about the multiple benefits. At eHealth Week we will have a delegation from the United States Office of the National Coor- dinator (ONC) to talk about how we can foster more collaboration across the Atlantic, and how we can share data across the two Continents. What other innovative topics are being addressed at the eHealth Week 2017 conference? We have a session on social media in healthcare, very much focused on how patients are actively using social media to connect to one an- other and to educate themselves. Social media is becoming a very powerful tool in healthcare: pa- tients, physicians and institutions are already using it. At eHealth Week we will have a physician who is almost exclusively using Twitter to communicate with his patients. Another important topic at the conference is Virtual Reality and how it is used to educate clinicians. What message would you like to transmit to the more than 1,300 healthcare leaders expected to at- tend the event? My message would be that if you want to be a part in transforming healthcare of the future, eHealth Week in Malta is the place to be. We cannot achieve the change isolated, we need to bring people together, learn from one another and share best practices. This way innovation and transformation will accelerate at a much higher speed, on many different levels. EY Malta gets ISO certification EY Malta has been awarded ISO 27001 certification, across all business lines; Assurance, Tax, Transaction and Advisory Ser- vices. This followed the ISO cer- tification of EY Malta Managed Services earlier on in 2016. The local office has been operating since the late 1990s and current- ly employs more than 200 staff members. ISO 27001 is an international standard related to information security management. It guaran- tees that a systematic approach is adopted to manage and safe- guard sensitive company and cli- ent information. "ISO certification is another building block to help us ensure that we have a robust culture of security, which manages and minimises our risk exposure. The certification provides the highest level of security to our clients whilst assuring we con- tinue to offer and deliver con- sistent services," said Ronald Attard, Managing Partner of EY Malta. "We are extremely pleased to have secured ISO certification for EY Malta. We have invested heavily across all lines of busi- ness, as we continue our journey toward Vision 2020," he added. Create great moments together in Cyprus with Emirates EMIRATES, the Dubai based international airline that f lies daily from Malta to Larnaca and onward to Dubai, is offer- ing a companion fare promo- tion on f lights to Larnaca, Cy- prus. Two or more passengers trav- elling together in Economy Class can benefit from a spe- cial fare starting from €198 per person to Larnaca, inclusive of taxes. A weekend surcharge of €20 applies for departures on Fridays or Saturdays. The offer is valid for tickets booked and purchased up to 21 May for de- partures from tomorrow up to 31 December 2017. Terms and conditions apply. With a year round sunny weather, Cyprus enjoys amaz- ing natural beauty, 10,000 years of history and culture, as well as stunning coastlines with golden sandy beaches. The best things to do in Cyprus always involve being active outdoors. Whether taking long drives to discover quaint villages each with their tavernas, getting in- volved in the water sports avail- able across its extensive beach- es, or skiing in the mountains (January/February), the true beauty of Cyprus is revealed through its nature. History and culture buffs are spoilt for choice when it comes to sites and museums to explore. Byz- antine churches, Phoenician tombs and Roman mosaics are dotted throughout the country. For many though, the high- light of a trip to Cyprus is in- dulging in its cuisine, which benefits from Greek and Mid- dle Eastern inf luences. The Cypriot speciality of halloumi cheese is a must-try. The best way to enjoy Cyprus is by hir- ing a car to visit as many pic- turesque scenes such as those around the Troodos mountain region, and the beautiful Aka- mas region in the Paphos dis- trict. Operating a daily scheduled f light between Malta and Larn- aca in Cyprus on a Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft, travellers can look forward to both an award- winning service and hospitality from the airline's multi-nation- al cabin crew, while enjoying gourmet meals. Emirates offers over 2,500 channels of on-demand audio and visual entertainment on its award winning ice system, in- cluding the latest movies, mu- sic and games. Emirates' companion fares to Cyprus can be booked on- line on www.emirates.com/mt, from respective travel agents or from Emirates Sales Office at MIA Departures Lounge on tel 2557 7255. Interview with Christina Roosen, Vice President, Public Affairs, HIMSS Europe "The benefits of sharing data totally outweigh the risks of not doing so" Emirates is offering a special fare on flights to Cyprus when two or more passengers travel together FOR the fourth consecutive year, the The Gollcher Group is organising a charity walk in aid of Europa Donna Malta. This is an independent non-profit organisation whose members are affili- ated groups from countries throughout Europe. This coalition works to raise awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the sup- port of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and increased funding for research. The general public is invited to join The Gollcher Group for the Breast Cancer Gollcher Charity Walk 2017 tomorrow from Tigullio in St. Julians to the Black Pearl in Ta" Xbiex. Registration commences at 8.30am near Tigullio. More information can be obtained from: https://www.facebook.com/ events/206998896452324. the fourth consecutive year, the The Gollcher Group is organising a charity walk in aid of Europa Donna This is an independent non-profit organisation whose members are affili- ated groups from countries throughout Europe. This coalition works to raise invited to join The Gollcher Group commences at Breast cancer Gollcher charity walk: Step by step, we can make a difference