Clinical activity based process-cost coupling
Reimbursement for hospitals in Germany has undergone a complete change since the introduction of the German Diagnosis Related Group system (G-DRG).
Laws & regulations
Go green!
Austria - A call for the EU and national governments to establish and extend a legal framework for environmental standards in society and healthcare facilities was made by the organisers of `CleanMed Europe´, the first European conference to focus on sustainable healthcare products and practices.
Procuring large equipment
Around €18 billion annually is spent on medical technology in Germany. After the US and Japan, the German medical technology market is the third largest in the world.
Euthanasia debate rekindled
The Netherlands - Although this country became the first, in 2002, to legalise euthanasia for people aged 16 years and over, child euthanasia remains illegal.
Cross-border care
Status quo of cross-border access to healthcare systems within the EU-Member States.
Challenges for the new EU member states
Austria. 6-9 October - Challenges of the new EU Member States will be high on the agenda of this year's EHFG.
Asylum seekers and healthcare
UK - Over 100,000 asylum seekers have been relocated throughout London and England's southeast, to spread the cost of their medical care.
Cross-border health summit
Czech Republic - Health leaders from 20 countries will gather in Prague for three days (5-8 September) to explore trends and innovations effecting the development of new cross-border health services and insurance.
Fraud and corruption conference
18-19 October 2004 -The first conference to focus on tackling fraud and corruption in EU healthcare is being organised by the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS), and partner organisations from five other EU countries, having secured funding from AGIS, an EU Commission programme to help EU member states co-operate in criminal matters.
Quality assurance first
Germany's Federal Committee of Physicians and Statutory Health Insurance Funds set up three model projects, based in Bremen, Wiesbaden and Weser-Ems, to trial the third edition of the European guidelines on healthcare within the German system and to develop the necessary organisational structures to make these work.