Europe's unequal healthcare
Christian Pruszinsky reports from the 11th European Health Forum Gastein in Austria: `Achieving the level of healthcare of the older EU member states will remain a long-term project for new members´ .
Laws & regulations
A new tool for European patients
Last week, the Commissioner for Health, Androulla Vassiliou launched the 'Europe for Patients' campaign in Brussels. The campaign highlights the different health policy initiatives the Commission intends to adopt in the coming months. All these initiatives are bound by a common goal: better healthcare for all in Europe.
The wait is over
The UK's National Health Service is notorious for its waiting time for surgery. The Scottish Government recently decided to tackle this issue and proposed a Patient Rights Bill which includes a legal right to surgery within twelve weeks .
eHealth for safe, high quality and efficient cross-border healthcare
Health systems and health policies across the EU are becoming ever more interconnected which raises many health policy issues. On 2 July 2008, in the context of the Renewed Social Agenda, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a directive on patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. Essential precondition for cross-border healthcare is the existence of electronic health record systems…
Harmonising rules on information about prescription drugs
Pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to inform consumers on the internet or in ads about side effects, application and ingredients of medicines. The pharmaceutical industry would like to relax this ban and mustered support from EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen who will present a legislative proposal later this year.
Are nurses the better GPs in primary care?
"Should nurses replace GPs as frontline providers of primary care?" This question was discussed controversy by Bonnie Sibbald, Professor of Health Service Research, University of Manchester, (pro) and Rhona Knight, portfolio GP, Leicester, (contra) who alleged their reasons on the British Medical Journal website
Healthcare without borders
High-quality health services are a priority issue for European citizens. Rights to healthcare are also recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. Health systems and health policies across the EU are becoming more interconnected than ever in the past.
Primary prevention of CVD: Challenges and Achievements
Lifestyle and risk factor results show that recommended scientific guidelines form a contrast to what is achieved in daily practice in high risk individuals in primary prevention of CVD. Together with its partners the ESC demands a comprehensive and multisdicplinary primary prevention programme involving the high-risk population, their GP's and other health professionals, a health insurance…
High risk of contrast-induced nephropathy refuted
The belief that iodinated contrast agents can induce nephropathy has been held for many years, even though most of the clinical literature has not been able to distinguish contrast-induced nephropathy from other causes of the condition.
UK Polyclinic proposals meet opposition
The relationship between England's GPs and hospitals is currently at a sensitive stage, with a review of health services across the country set to impact on the way the two groups work and liaise with one another.
Finn got 10 years for criminal HIV transmission
A 25 year-old Finnish man, who is HIV-positive, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for five counts of criminal HIV transmission, 14 counts of attempted criminal HIV exposure, and one count of rape.
Prostate scanning too often performed?
Experts on a US panel expressed their doubts on the beneficial quality of prostate cancer screenings for elderly men. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not kill an older man before he suffers from another death reason, they pointed out.
NMC's new president is Jill Crawford
The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) announced the new President of its governing Council: Jill Crawford has been a lay member of Council since 2002 and brings considerable knowledge and experience to the role.
Better protection for nurses! - A global call to action
Provision of standard infectious disease precautions and safe workplaces for nurses all around the world are the main claims of a statement shaped during the International AIDS Conference by Physicians for Human Rights and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
New treatment guidelines for HIV infection
An international panel of physicians has updated the guidelines and recommendations for antiretroviral treatment of adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection after evaluating recent data, according to an article in JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.
Even experts sometimes need good advice
Acting as a medical expert witness can have serious consequences for third persons. Although expert witnesses are doing their best, many problems arise from their medico-legal work. Now the GMC published guidelines for expert witnesses that are welcomed by physicians and organizations.
Your senior doctor is watching you
Hiding behind a doctor's licence obtained years ago will no longer be tolerated in England. Senior doctors are asked to function as "responsible officers" who collect information about colleagues over a period of time. The new arrangement intends to examine the fitness of physicians every five years.
"Qualifying" is an urgent need in health biz
Michael Schumacher once won nearly every qualifying in Formula One. But Germany won't win the world championship in qualification of their healthcare workers, neither, however, would most European countries. The lack of well-trained employees in healthcare may turn out to be a major setback for the booming branch.
German healthcare system: lack of transparency
The German healthcare system is designed for corruption, since the its organisation is delegated to statutory health insurers, physicians' associations, etc. which are all self-controlled, says Anke Martiny from Transparency Germany in an interview with EH online. In spite of a whistle blowing system that was established in 2004, it still needs more transparency.
EU takes Germany to court over rescue transport services
The European Commission initiated legal action against Germany. The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg will investigate whether certain regional and local authorities awarded contracts for rescue transport services without applying transparent contract award procedures.
Recast of the Medical Devices Directives is “not needed”
The European Medical Device Industry associations resist the European Commission's proposal to build up a centralized European agency for Medical Devices. The new authority is planned to regulate MD affairs, e.g. classification and pre-market approval of “highest risk” devices. According to the MD Industry, the concerns of the EU Commission can be addressed through improved implementation of…
Switzerland to adopt DRGs system
The Swiss hospital system is facing a radical change. Billing by Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) is about to be introduced. European Hospital's correspondent in Switzerland, Dr André Weissen,* approached Dr Carlo Conti, President of SwissDRG AG to discuss some of the controversial issues involved in the switch to DRGs
Optimising chronic wound care
Process optimisation concerns all primary and secondary processes in a hospital. Case management is a tool that supports the implementation of comprehensive optimisation efforts.
BMJ gives EU doctors free access to CME
Doctors across Europe now have free access to the British Medical Journal's library of Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) content.
European ministers sign charter against inequity in health systems
It was a tough project but in the end the ministers of health of 53 countries - the WHO European Region - agreed on a groundbreaking paper on healthcare, committing themselves to concrete actions to fight the fact that many people have no easy and affordable access to quality healthcare. They will strengthen a system that will allow both their own people and the international community to hold…
