The European Commission launched a consultation process on mobile health, or mHealth, that could save up to €99 billion in healthcare costs in the EU by 2017.

Through the consultation process, the Commission is seeking suggestions on finding ways to enhance the health and well-being of Europeans through the use of mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, patient monitoring devices and other wire-less devices.

There were nearly 100,000 mHealth apps already available across multiple platforms such as iTunes, Google play, Windows Marketplace and BlackBerry World, the commission said.

Examples of the apps include ways to measures vital signals such as blood pressure or apps that remind patients they should take their medication.

European Health Commissioner Tonio Borg said: “mHealth has a great potential to empower citizens to manage their own health and stay healthy longer, to trigger greater quality of care and comfort for patients and to assist health professionals in their work.”

European Commission vice president Neelie Kroes, responsible for the digital agenda, added: “mHealth will reduce costly visits to hospitals, help citizens take charge of their own health and well-being and move towards prevention rather than cure.”

Anyone wishing to participate in the consultation can access the following link for more details: http://ec.europa.eu/digitalagenda/en/public-consultation-green-paper-mobile-health .