Health-enabling technologies for pervasive health care: a pivotal field for future medical informatics research education?

Our societies are changing worldwide. Life expectancy has increased in many societies and this increase is often related to an increase in the relative amount of elderly persons. Health-enabling technologies are information and communication technologies for creating sustainable conditions for self-sufficient and self-determined lifestyles. Sensor-enhanced health information systems play a major role in this context. The question is discussed, whether health-enabling technologies for pervasive health care can be regarded as a pivotal field for future medical informatics research and education.