Category: NEWS

All members of the European Medical Association and its Board, as a voice representing the global medical community, participate in the mourning of Christianity for the passing of Pope Francis.

[dt_fancy_title title=”eHealth” title_align=”left” title_size=”h1″ title_color=”custom” custom_title_color=”#000000″][dt_fancy_title title=”Policy” title_align=”left” title_size=”h2″ title_color=”custom” custom_title_color=”#000000″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1458578658427{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-position: 0 0 !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”] eHealth: refers to tools and services using information and communication technologies (ICTs) that can improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and management. can benefit the entire community by improving access to care and quality of care and by making the health sector more efficient. includes information and data sharing between patients and health service providers, hospitals, health professionals and health information networks; electronic health records; telemedicine services; portable patient-monitoring devices, operating room scheduling software, robotized surgery and blue-sky research on the virtual physiological human. Goals of the EU: to improve citizens’ health by making life-saving information available -between countries when necessary -using eHealth tools to increase healthcare quality and access by making eHealth part of health policy and coordinating EU countries’ political, financial and technical strategies to make eHealth tools more effective, user-friendly and widely accepted by involving professionals and patients in strategy, design and implementation. Digital Single Market Strategy The EC adopts its Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe which aims to make the EU’s single market freedoms “go digital” and boost growth and jobs in the EU. The strategy includes telemedicine and ehealth, which is a step forward in promoting interoperability and standards of these digital technologies in the EU, for the benefit of patients, health professionals, health systems and industry. Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare Directive 2011/24/EU, Article 14, sets up a voluntary Network of national authorities responsible for eHealth. The eHealth Network will draw up guidelines in the area of eHealth. It aims to enhance interoperability between electronic health systems and continuity of care and to ensure access to safe and quality healthcare. Sources eHealth Policy Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe eHealth Network in Europe eHealth Projects  

[dt_fancy_title title=”Health Technology Assessment” title_align=”left” title_size=”h1″ title_color=”custom” custom_title_color=”#000000″][dt_fancy_title title=”Policy” title_align=”left” title_size=”h2″ title_color=”custom” custom_title_color=”#000000″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1458578658427{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-position: 0 0 !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is way of assessing the ways science & technology are used in healthcare and disease prevention. It covers medical, social, economic, and ethical issues. It provides policy-makers with objective information, so they can formulate health policies that are safe, effective, patient-focused and cost-effective. HTA should be transparent, unbiased, robust and systematic – firmly rooted in research and the scientific method. Diagnostic and treatment methods, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, rehabilitation & prevention methods, but also organisational and support systems used to deliver healthcare are examples of Health Technologies. European cooperation on health technology assessment HTA is an important part of evidence-based health decision-making in most EU countries. To enhance cooperation between countries, the Commission: has set up a permanent, voluntary HTA network in Europe. The network aims to: facilitate efficient use of HTA resources in Europe create a sustainable system of HTA knowledge sharing promote good practice in HTA methods and processes supports EUnetHTA’s “Joint Action 2” on HTA, with funding from the EU health programme: EUnetHTA -European network for health technology assessment Sources HTA Policy HTA  Network  in Europe EUnetHTA Joint Action 2 (2012-2015) EUnetHTA’s website  

The Belgian healthcare system has been ranked fourth among 35 countries in Europe using 48 indicators, according to an annual report released by the Sweden-based Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP). The high ranking is the best achieved by Belgium since the launch of the index in 2005. Healthcare has tended to improve in Europe, according to the HCP. The decline in the infant mortality rate and the chance of survival for heart disease, stroke and cancer are on the right track. However, the report highlights the inefficiencies in financing and providing services. “Drawing inspiration from the most efficient European healthcare systems would save money to save lives and improve the performance of many countries struggling to meet citizens’ expectations,” the HCP said. The report gives each country a score, with the lowest being 333 and the highest being 1,000. For the first time since the index began in 2005, two countries – the Netherlands and Switzerland – achieved a score of more than 900. The Netherlands scored 927 and Switzerland 904. Norway followed scoring 865 with Belgium nearly tying on 860. Montenegro and Romania were at the bottom of the ranking. Despite improvement in all national health systems in Europe, there is still a large gap between the best performing countries and the least developed countries, according to the report. However, a country like Macedonia shows the possibilities of less-developed countries to succeed in the realm of healthcare. It has one of the highest scores in the accessibility category, but also for the most cost-effective healthcare system. The United Kingdom is at the top of the ranking in terms of accessibility, alongside Switzerland and Macedonia. Belgium, on the other hand, ranks twelfth in terms of cost-effectiveness of healthcare. “We are working on this, for example with the reform of the financing of hospitals,” said the cabinet of public health minister Maggie De Block

The European Commission has just published a public consultation in the field of education: You can contribute to this consultation by going to the website “Your point of view on Europe”: http://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations_en   For any questions related to the public consultations organized by the European Commission, please refer to the single point of contact, “Your point of view on Europe” http://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations_en