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New Eurohealth on Efficiency and Health Care
27-09-2012
This issue’s Eurohealth Observer section outlines the possibilities and challenges of obtaining a workable model of efficiency in health care. Health care reforms towards efficiency gains are analysed for the Netherlands and Portugal along with a European-wide perspective. Other articles include: Simulation on the EU Cross-Border Care Directive; Consolidating national authority in Nordic health systems; Contributions, Co-pays and Computers: Health system reform in Cyprus; Policy factors underpinning the Welsh Dignity in Care Programme; and Eurohealth Monitor.
New HiT health system review on Cyprus
21-09-2012
The news Health Systems in Transition (HiT) for Cyprus has just been released. The health system consists of 2 parallel delivery systems: a public and a private one. A high percentage of citizens hold a favourable opinion about the availability and accessibility of care, despite long waiting lists. Although barriers to access for some groups lead to unmet need, generally Cypriots are in good health compared to the populations of other EU countries. There is room for improvement in efficiency, transparency, quality and accountability. Additional patient empowerment and citizen participation in decision making, better hospital management and governance, and better control of biomedical technology deployment and use, are some of the priorities necessary to improve performance.
New book on intersectoral action for health
04-09-2012
This new book is intended to facilitate intersectoral action by providing accessible and relevant examples that can inform policy-makers of the governance tools and instruments available.
Policy summary on health policy responses to the financial crisis
16-08-2012
Results of a survey of health policy responses to the financial crisis in the European Region reveal that a mix of policy tools is being used to cut public expenditure on health in many countries.
New Eurohealth: Gender and Health
19-07-2012
This issue of Eurohealth, in memory of Dr Concha Colomer, provides articles on the history of gender equity policies, their importance in research and policy development, and how they play out within the specific contexts of child and adolescent health, and violence against women. Other articles include: Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive; Health capital investment; Safer hospitals in Europe; Long-term care reform in the Netherlands; Cost-containment in the French health system; and Eurohealth Monitor.
HiT on the Bulgarian health system
13-07-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Bulgaria has just been released. Whilst the Bulgarian health system possesses the characteristics of a democratic, liberalized, and market-oriented health system, it suffers from substantial weaknesses, which result in an unsatisfactory population health status. Health inequalities between the urban and rural populations, as well as inequalities in access to the health system, continued to grow throughout the process of reforming the system. The improvement rate of population health status, as reflected in some health indicators, has been insufficient to achieve the reform goals which means that the need for further reform seems even greater than in the early 1990s.
New HiT health system review on Sweden
04-05-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Sweden reflects the more critical attitude that has been taken towards the traditional model of publicly organised and decentralized health services. Reforms that started in the 1990s have gradually diversified the spectrum and introduced new forms of governance, also aiming to extend the level of choice and responsiveness towards patients. Despite the fact that health outcomes and clinical quality in Sweden may be among the best in the world, much focus has been put in recent years on increasing regional transparency and improving the safety, quality and efficiency of services. The further development of primary care and elderly care as well as a better coordination between providers have been priorities for policy makers. The new report officially launched on 10 May in Stockholm at meetings hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
New Eurohealth: Health systems and the financial crisis
23-04-2012
This issue of Eurohealth, the second with a new layout and design, provides an overview article case studies on health system responses to the financial crisis from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece and Ireland. Other articles include: the patient perspective on the Professional Qualifications Directive; the evolution of obesity in Spain; the performance of chronic care system in Denmark; competition in the Dutch health insurance system; pharmaceutical market reforms in Portugal; and Eurohealth Monitor.
New HiT health system review on Poland is published
20-04-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Poland has just been released. Extensive reform efforts have taken place in Poland since the start of political and economic transformation in 1989, including the first systemic changes in the health sector.
Health in the Veneto Region of Italy
19-04-2012
The Veneto Region is one of Italy’s richest regions and the health of its resident population compares favourably with other regions in Italy. A new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for the Veneto Region has just been published and the publication explores the health system of this important region and some of the challenges (an ageing population, the incidence of chronic diseases, as well as the ever-present problem of keeping the regional health budget balanced) the administration currently faces. This new report illustrates the important role that regional authorities play in certain decentralised health systems.
Kazakstan's health system
29-03-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Kazakhstan has just been released. Since becoming independent, Kazakhstan has undertaken major efforts in reforming its health system. Two comprehensive reform programmes have been developed in the last decade, and there has been progress on promoting evidence-based medicine and developing and introducing new clinical practice guidelines, as well as facility-level quality improvements. However, as this publication shows, key aspects of health system performance are still in need of improvement. A key challenge is regional inequities in health financing, health care utilization and health outcomes, although some improvements have been achieved in recent years.
WHO Barcelona Course in Health Financing
20-03-2012
The WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Strengthening is hosting the second Barcelona Course in Health Financing from May 14 to 18, 2012. Application deadline is 28th of March, 2012. The special theme of the course is moving towards and sustaining universal coverage with a highlight on how to counter the impact of economic downturns.
New HiT health system review on Denmark is published
20-03-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Denmark reflects recent health trends and structural changes in the Danish health system. Lifestyle related risk factors and chronic illnesses are increasingly becoming major health issues which are still more challenging as an effect of the ageing population . This has pressed the health system towards a model of provision focused much more on the management of chronic care conditions. Although this report reveals a system that generally provides high quality services within each sector, authors show that the fragmented structure of the Danish health system poses serious challenges in providing effectively coordinated care. Traditionally characterised as a decentralised system, several reforms from 2007 have strengthened coordination and centralised control. The new HiT will be officially presented at a meeting of the Chief Medical Officers taking place in Copenhagen on 12 April in the context of the Danish EU Presidency.
New HiT health system review on Turkey is published
23-02-2012
The new HiT (Health Systems in Transition) health system review for Turkey has just been published. Turkey has accomplished remarkable improvements in terms of health status in the last three decades.
Apply now for Summer School on performance assessment
15-02-2012
The Observatory Summer School will take place in Venice, 22–28 July 2012. It is a chance to spend a week working intensely with other senior to mid level health policy makers, planners and professionals with expert support to marshal the evidence on performance, to review what it means for health systems and to share experiences of responding through policy and in practice. Early applications are encouraged as places are limited.
New HiT on Russian Federation
01-02-2012
The new HiT on the Russian Federation has just been published.
New book examining the link between good health and economic growth
19-01-2012
A new Observatory book looks at health systems from a new and stimulating perspective: Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being. Assessing the case for investing in health systems.
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