Older patients and citizens should play a central role in the design and implementation of solutions for active and healthy ageing, in order to respect their rights and meet their needs. This was the strong message of the participants at the Conference “The Rights and Needs of Older Patients” organised by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) and the Federation of Polish Patients (FPP).
The days when radiologists were only involved in diagnosis are long over. Modern medicine requires interventional radiologists to use their specialist knowledge of image-guidance (X-ray, CT, MR) to perform procedures which are extraordinarily precise, and thus gentle on the patient. These methods can, in many cases, replace more invasive therapies and save on operation costs.
Top-performing hospitals are typically ones headed by a medical doctor rather than a manager. That is the finding from a new study of what makes a good hospital. The research, to be published in the elite journal Social Science and Medicine, is the first of its kind. Its conclusions run counter to a modern trend across the western world to put generally trained managers -- not those with a…
Sectra and Royal Philips Electronics have signed an agreement under which Philips will acquire Sectra’s mammography modality operations. The cash purchase consideration amounts to EUR 57.5 million on cash and debt-free basis. The agreement also includes an additional possible earn-out EUR 12.5 million in accordance with specially agreed terms and conditions.
In terms of health politics, no hospital-related subject is more explosive than hygiene. However, although this reaction is common across Europe, approaches towards tackling nosocomial infections varies among our EU countries. Karoline Laarmann reports from Germany and Jane MacDougall from France…
Established in 1987, Unilabs now has operations in 12 countries, employs more than 3,700 people, with 220 medical doctors, and presents the most comprehensive portfolio of diagnostic services, geographically covering a most extensive area of Europe.
Combining information from hospitals and police can prevent violence and make communities safer, according to a study published on bmj.com. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified interpersonal violence as a global public health issue.
Leaders from medical technology associations across the globe have today committed to further advance ethical behaviour globally by signing the “Global Compliance Statement on Interactions Between Medical Technology Companies and Healthcare Professionals (HCPs).”
The IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics today reported that global spending for medicines will reach nearly $1.1 trillion by 2015, reflecting a slowing compound annual growth rate of 3-6 percent over the next five years. This compares with 6.2 percent annual growth over the past five years.
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is calling for a single, co-ordinated European system to oversee the evaluation and approval of medical devices. The call is being made in a paper published online in the European Heart Journal reporting on a conference held by the ESC in January 2011 looking to increase the input of medical experts in developing medical device policy.
Sometimes small efforts can have a big effect. In a pilot project, a team at the University of Heidelberg is studying what are the real energy guzzlers in hospitals and what cost savings can actually be achieved by simple energy saving measures.
The European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE) has been looking for the past year at the direct and indirect effects of the crisis on the European health systems. Its results are now available with the work published “The Crisis, Hospitals and Healthcare”. The comparative report details impacts and measures taken, on hospital and healthcare services, on healthcare professionals and on…
Eppendorf AG celebrates success in a leading global design competition which attracted 4,433 entries from 1,700 companies in over 60 nations. Centrifuge 5424 R, a premium 24-place microcentrifuge, has been honoured for design excellence in the life science and medicine category of ‘red dot award: product design 2011’.
The introduction of comprehensive risk management to a hospital is challenging. Although initiating quality and safety processes is often easy, the structural changes in a microcosmic hospital are harder to crack. However, successfully integrated risk management can represent a decisive, competitive advantage in the healthcare market. By Karoline Laarmann
Korea has a large, diverse and vibrant medical device manufacturing industry, which has boomed in recent decades due to the rapid growth of the country’s economy. The scale of its medical industry was very evident at the 27th Korea International Medical and Hospital Equipment Show (KIMES) held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre (COEX) in March.
Public satisfaction with the National Health Service has reached record levels, according to Professor John Appleby, a leading health economist, writing on the British Medical Journal website. He was referring to the British Social Attitudes Survey, in which 64% of people declared they are either very or quite satisfied with the NHS – the highest satisfaction level since the very first survey…
England – ‘Wheelchairs receive better care than nurses’; they need annual physical and psychological tests to ensure they can cope with job demands. The subject, discussed this April during the Annual Congress of the Royal College of Nursing, followed the publication (11/2010) of the Government’s NHS Health and Wellbeing Report (pub: 11/10).
In February this year, the European Parliament approved the EU Directive on Cross-Border Healthcare, establishing a framework for patients to exploit their rights to healthcare in other European countries.
With 1,600 customers and a 30-40% market share in Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland, IT and imaging enterprise Agfa and its hospital-wide IT solution Orbis are ahead of the game. Dr Volker Wetekam, Executive Vice President of the IT Division, Agfa Healthcare, speaks of a technological advantage of as much as two to three years in the key segments -- PACS, cardiology and regional health --…
In 1935, following the spectacular crash of the much-heralded Boeing B-17 bomber, it was concluded that the ‘modern plane was too much for one man to fly’. Similarly, given the complexity of modern healthcare, medicine is rarely a solo pursuit. In 1977, following the largest commercial aviation crash to date, flight investigators concluded the crew had ‘failed to take the time to become a…
The Swiss-based World Medical Centre Holding SA and German Centre for Travel Ltd. medicine have launched, an international personal medical record system -- the CRM travel.CARD – for travellers to keep their essential medical data with them at all times. Representatives of the two firms, both specialised in travel medicine, presented the CRM travel.CARD at a press conference this January in…
People are confronted daily with finding their way in new buildings and building complexes. Generally these are intricate, have numerous sections distributed among different houses and/or floors. Whether in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, airports, or other large building complexes, finding the way to a particular destination can be an extremely difficult or even an impossible undertaking.
The application of ergonomic principles can enhance product design and, more importantly, the usability of medical devices. Ideally the operation of the product is adaptable to the individual user’s preferences and to different workflows, for example when safe handling is ensured in routine as well as in emergency situations.
USA - Over the past couple of decades, due to acquisitions California-based Beckman Coulter Inc has became one of the world’s largest manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics analysers and automation for clinical pathology laboratories. Now, in a US$6.8 billion transaction, including debt and cash acquired, the company itself been acquired by the Danaher Corporation of Washington, D.C.
When the European Parliament voted in favour of the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare, Health Commissioner John Dalli, explained that this is an important step forward for all EU patients – i.e. by gaining easier access to good quality and reimbursed treatment across EU borders. Meanwhile, Europe’s healthcare systems will need to deliver ‘more for less’.