EHFF activities are broadly aligned with the direction of the EU Innovation Union Europe 2020 initiative. Initially the focus will be on:
- Acquiring funds for and undertaking a major multinational project on self management of chronic conditions as an exemplar of disruptive innovation. This project will coordinate a series of multi-stakeholder round tables, including business representatives, citizens, academics, and policy makers, to discuss the implications of the results and agree further actions.
- The EVY project (European network of Visionary Young health innovators) is a small dedicated teams of 25-35 year-old professionals with a keen interest in healthcare who share innovative ideas and practices from their own countries on a regular basis, analysing characteristics of what works and what doesn’t and building a repository of successful innovations. The scheme initial involves three countries (Netherlands, Portugal and Poland) and will gradually grow as the mechanism was refined by practice. There is an annual conference and an innovation award. This will also provide data for the ‘radio telescope’ scanning project (above) and has synergy with the prototype Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC).
- The European Innovation and Technology Institute (EIT) has proposed a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for wellbeing as part of the 2014-16 work plan awaiting approval. The KIC concept is so similar to the principle espoused by EHFF of facilitating joint action between educators, health providers and business, that it seems logical to anticipate, as we have the means to create, on an informal basis (not being unduly hampered by bureaucracy) a prototype KIC on health.