Developing innovation systems in the e-health domain: Implementing Europe's Digital Agenda

European Digital Agendas are launched every 2-5 years by the European Commission. They focus on the economic and social benefits that ICTs will bring Europe. In the Netherlands, national and local governments are working on the implementation of 2015.eu’s agenda (2010-2015). As it is difficult to satisfy all stakeholders, the implementation process of former European Digital Agenda’s in EU Member States did not go smoothly. TNO, one of Europe’s largest Research and Technology Organizations, is taking a role with realizing 2015.eu agenda’s objectives. The difficulties with EDAs’ implementation provide an opportunity for TNO to prove its added value with realizing European level initiatives. This research wishes to contribute to structuring the implementation process of 2015.eu agenda’s objectives. To do so, a systematic approach for establishing innovation systems in the Dutch e-health domain is provided. The e-health domain is selected as urgency for change is enormous due to rising costs of treatments, a rising demand for healthcare, and a reducing active population. Innovation systems can develop service innovations for the future e-health domain by 2020, to which 2015.eu agenda’s objectives can contribute. 4th generation innovation systems have proven their usability to map complex systems of stakeholders. The main research question is: How to develop innovation systems in the Dutch e-health domain, based upon 2015.eu’s agenda? The analysis shows that innovation systems for the Dutch e-health domain can be developed by means of the following counterclockwise order of steps at CIM level 1: (1) Vision development, (2) Cyclic process model development, and (3) Transition path development. Recommendations for TNO are to aim for the roles advised to it at the different development stages of innovation processes, as well as its recommended role with establishing innovation systems, and with lifting the implementation obstacles of European Digital Agendas. Further research is recommended to improve the CIM innovation system theory, since criteria like to consider institutional factors, prescribing best practices, and paying attention to money flows, were not considered.