European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

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• New HiT on Hungary
  08-12-2011
  The new HiT on Hungary has been published. Hungary has achieved a successful transition from an overly centralized, integrated Semashko-style health care system to a purchaser–provider split model with output-based payment methods. Although there have been substantial increases in life expectancy in recent years among both men and women, many health outcomes remain poor, placing Hungary among the countries with the worst health status and highest rate of avoidable mortality in the EU (life expectancy at birth trailed the EU27 average by 5.1 years in 2009). Lifestyle factors – especially the traditionally unhealthy Hungarian diet, alcohol consumption and smoking – play a very important role in shaping the overall health of the population.
• New book on governance: Governing public hospitals
  02-12-2011
  This study explores key developments in public hospital governance in Europe.
• Launch of the New Eurohealth: The Professional Qualifications Directive
  29-11-2011
  This exciting issue of Eurohealth, the first incorporating Euro Observer, has a new modern look and better navigation. The issue provides perspectives on the Professional Qualifications Directive from a regulator, physicians and nurses. Also covered is the topic of health care fraud and corruption in Europe with an overview and examples from Belgium, Norway and Scotland. Other articles include: Statistics for out-of-pocket spending in the FSU, Theory around pay-for-performance, and Eurohealth Monitor.
• New book on DRGs launched at EuroDRG final conference in Berlin
  17-11-2011
  At the EuroDRG final conference, which is held in Berlin, 17 November 2011, the main results of the EuroDRG research project will be presented and discussed with policy-makers, researchers and stakeholders from Europe and beyond.
• New book on public health in Austria
  16-11-2011
  This new book explores some of the key challenges facing Austria’s public health system.
• New book on professional mobility
  18-10-2011
  Health professional mobility affects the performance of health systems and these impacts are assuming greater significance given increasing mobility in Europe. This new book gives  a comprehensive analysis of mobility patterns, the effect of migration on health systems and its relevance for policy-making.
• Euro Observer merging with Eurohealth
  05-10-2011
  As part of our commitment to be a primary information source on international developments in the health sector, the Observatory has decided to merge two key publications. The forthcoming Eurohealth issue 17.4 will mark the start of the integration with Euro Observer being incorporated as a thematic section. The last issue of Euro Observer is Vol. 13(2), Summer 2011 and past issues remain available for download.
• New HiT on Portugal
  20-09-2011
• New Eurohealth: Ageing and long-term care
  16-09-2011
  This issue of Eurohealth looks at meeting the challenge of ageing and long-term care. Articles cover European and OECD countries with topics including: future demand, cost projections, chronic diseases, remote care, workforce issues, etc. Other articles include: the European Directive on cross-border health care (England); the future of NICE (England); and the effects of hospital ownership on performance (Germany).
• New Eurohealth: Pharmaceutical policy and the effects of the economic crisis
  12-07-2011
  This issue of Eurohealth looks at pharmaceutical policy and the effects of the economic crisis in the Baltic States. Other articles include: results of a systematic review on reference pricing for pharmaceuticals; pharmaceutical reform and social health insurance (Germany); and the decline in nursing staff (Hungary).
• New Euro Observer: Mobility of health professionals in Europe
  17-06-2011
  The Summer issue looks at the factors that influence health professional mobility between the countries of Europe. Case studies on Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom provide more in-depth details on each country’s health professional mobility profile, impacts on the health care system and government policy responses.
• New Kyrgyz HiT
  26-05-2011
• European parliament seminar on health workforce and professional mobility
  17-05-2011
  A half-day seminar on “Developing a Community approach to addressing health workforce and professional mobility challenges” will be held in the European Parliament, Brussels on 31st May 2011 from 9.00 to 12.30. This event is organised with the cooperation and support of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health & Consumers.
• Just Published: Ukraine Health System Review
  27-04-2011
  The Ukrainian health system has preserved the fundamental features of the Soviet Semashko system against a background of other changes, which are developed on market economic principles. The transition from centralized financing to its extreme decentralization is the main difference in the health system in comparison with the classic Soviet model.
• Just Published: Slovakia Health System Review
  27-04-2011
  The Slovak health system is a system in progress. Major health reform in the period 20022006 introduced a new approach based on managed competition. Although large improvements have been made since the 1990s (for example in life expectancy and infant mortality), health outcomes are generally still substantially worse than the average for the EU15 but close to the other Visegrád Four countries.
• New Eurohealth: EU law and health & health technology assessment
  14-04-2011
  This issue of Eurohealth looks at EU law and health. Also covered is the topic of health technology assessment for implantable medical devices in Greece, Poland and Serbia. Other articles include: pharmaceutical policy reform (Croatia), pharmaceutical consumption (Spain) and the challenges and performance of managed competition (the Netherlands).
• EU law and health systems book now free to download
  13-04-2011
  This book on the role of EU law and policy in health system governance is now free to download. It offers a state of the art of academic discussion on a number of current and emerging governance issues in EU healthcare policy, including regulatory, legal, ‘new governance’ and policy-making dynamics.
• Study on professional mobility and health systems presented at Hungarian EU Presidency meeting
  05-04-2011
  At the occasion of the informal meeting of health ministers (Gödöllő, 4-5 April 2011), where the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has put health professionals’ mobility on the agenda, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, in partnership with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, is presenting a new study on this issue.
• New book on cross-border health care
  28-03-2011
  Cross-border health care has become a much more prominent phenomenon in the European Union. When in need of medical treatment, patients increasingly act as informed consumers who claim the right to choose their own providers, including those beyond borders. This new book explores such trends and also looks at the legal framework for cross-border care as well as examining some of the uncertainties surrounding it. 
• Russian version of caring for people with chronic conditions book
  28-03-2011
  Many countries are experimenting with new approaches to delivering care in ways that meet the complex needs of people with chronic disorders. This book, now available in Russian, synthesises the evidence on what we know works (or does not) in different circumstances, and addresses the prerequisites for effective policies and management of chronic disease.
• Health system performance measurement book now free to download
  25-03-2011
  In a world where there is increasing demand for the performance of health providers to be measured, there is a need for a more strategic vision of the role that performance measurement can play in securing health system improvement. This volume, first published in 2009 and now free to download, meets this need by presenting the opportunities and challenges associated with performance measurement in a framework that is clear and easy to understand.
• New French HiT
  23-03-2011
  The French population enjoys good health and a high level of choice of providers. It is relatively satisfied with the health care system. However, as in many other countries, the rising cost of health care is of concern with regards to the objectives of the health care system. Many measures were or are being implemented in order to contain costs and increase efficiency.
• New Euro Observer: Decentralization in health care
  18-03-2011
  The Spring issue looks at decentralization as a governance tool in health care. Case studies on Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom highlight how decentralized arrangements work in practice in these countries.
• New HiT Report on England
  16-03-2011
  The new Health System in Transition (HiT) report on England provides a detailed analysis of the changes made to the health care system in England between 1997 and 2010. The report’s author assesses the impact that these changes have had in terms of access, equity, efficiency, quality and health outcomes.
• New ways of paying for primary health care discussed in Belarus
  10-03-2011
  Representatives of the health and finance ministries, as well as the regions, met in Minsk on 1–2 March 2011 to discuss ways to further improve the financing of primary health care in Belarus.
• Observatory summer school 2011: the ageing crisis
  26-01-2011
  The Observatory Venice Summer School 2011 will take place from 24-30 July 2011 on the island of San Servolo in Venice, and will address the issue of health systems responses to the ageing crisis.
• New Greek HiT
  26-01-2011
  Despite success in improving the health of the population, the Greek health care system faces serious structural problems concerning the organization, financing and delivery of services.
• New Eurohealth: Measuring and managing performance
  06-01-2011
  This issue of Eurohealth focuses on performance monitoring to maintain high quality health services. Also covered are the topics of user fees in the Czech Republic; private sector providers in England; barriers to physician workforce development in Uzbekistan; and providing a solid evidence base for policy makers through the ECHI initiative.