European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies | News feed

New Eurohealth on Efficiency and Health Care

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:49:26 +0200

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

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:05:53 +0200

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

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 09:10:05 +0200

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

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:26:51 +0200

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

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:00:17 +0200

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

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:17:29 +0200

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.