New association launched to support Cross Border Healthcare in Europe
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.
The European Cross-Border Healthcare Organization has been formed to facilitate the growth of cross border healthcare in Europe and to provide a forum for discussion of the issues which healthcare systems across Europe face in the implementation of the Directive, and to represent the views of the European healthcare industry to the European Parliament, national, government and legislative bodies that will be tasked with implementing the Directive.
ECHO will strive to ensure that cross border healthcare is patient centered, reliable, and safe and that patients can be assured of access to high quality care.
Leading stakeholders in cross border healthcare have come together to establish the Europe’s first and only association focusing on cross border healthcare, health tourism and medical travel. The Association membership will embrace all organizations involved in cross border healthcare:
- Healthcare service providers (both medical and non medical).
- European, national and regional bodies and regulators.
- Healthcare funders, payors and insurance companies.
- Organizations involved in certification and accreditation.
- Organizations involved in e-health .
- Institutions or persons interested in scientific aspects of cross border healthcare.
- Healthcare associations
- Patient organizations
Successful implementation of cross border healthcare requires cooperation between the national healthcare systems and the national and/or service specific associations. EDHO will support its members by:
- gathering, processing and distributing information.
- attending and holding meetings interesting to the industry.
- actively promoting regional projects.
- supporting and promoting initiatives of the industry which can contribute to the development of European healthcare regions into attractive health tourism destinations.
Most participants in this project have signed the ‘Venice Declaration on Medical Travel’ dedicating themselves to the development of a patient centered, reliable, safe and high quality care. Our task will be to ensure that this care is easy to access, well interlinked and observes ethical standards and transparency.
For further information please contact: martina.todchuk@echo-europeanhealthcare.com
15.03.2011
