Despite considerable investments in health facilities worldwide, little systematic evidence is available on how to plan, design and build new facilities that maximize health gain and ensure that services are responsive to the legitimate expectations of users. This book brings together current knowledge about key dimensions of capital investment in the health sector.
Case Studies from Europe
Capital investment in European health systems has to take account of an array of challenges and the demographic and epidemiological transitions associated with an ageing population; advances in medical technologies and pharmaceuticals; rising public expectations; and persistent health inequalities.This volume presents 11 case studies from across Europe and these offer a variety of perspectives on current issues relating to health capital investment and ways of trying to meet present challenges as well as those of the future. The case studies include the Orbis Medical Centre, Sittard, and the Martini Hospital, Groningen (both in the Netherlands); the St Olav's Hospital in Trondheim (Norway); the New Karolinska Solna Hospital in Stockholm (Sweden); the Coxa Hospital in Tampere (Finland); the Rhön Klinikum Group (Germany); the John Paul II Hospital in Krakow (Poland); the Alzira model in the Valencia region (Spain); regional planning in Northern Ireland and Tuscany (Italy); and the Private Finance Initiative (England).
Learning from Experience
Health targets can help to improve the governance of health systems. They express a commitment to achieve specified outputs over a defined period, and allow progress towards broad goals and objectives to be monitored. They may be quantitative or qualitative, and based on outcomes or processes.This book draws on a series of case studies on the use of health targets, written by experts from Catalonia (Spain), England (United Kingdom), Flanders (Belgium), France, Germany, Hungary and the Russian Federation. It reviews the major technical, managerial and political challenges of defining and implementing health targets. While they help focus attention on agreed goals, to realize their potential they need to be based on evidence, accepted by those who work to achieve them, be embedded in frameworks of mutual accountability, linked to appropriate incentives and/or sanctions and supported by an adequate intelligence infrastructure.The experiences of these countries and regions can serve as examples to all those in government who strive to improve the performance of their health systems.
The Role of Health Technology Assessment in the European Union
This book provides a detailed review of the role of health technology assessment (HTA) in the European Union. It examines both method and process in the prioritization and financing of modern health care and presents extensive case studies from Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.The book examines a number of issues, with particular emphasis on the responsibility and membership of HTA bodies’ assessment procedures and methods, the application of HTA evidence to decision-making, and the dissemination and implementation of findings. It aims to highlight ways to improve the HTA process in Europe by examining key challenges and identifying opportunities to support value and innovation in health care.It will be vital reading for a wide range of stakeholders including policy-makers, HTA bodies, manufacturers, health-care professionals and patient organizations.
One of the greatest challenges facing health systems in the 21st century is the need to address the growing burden of chronic diseases which are complex and require a long-term, multifaceted response.This book examines the health system response to this rising burden in eight Denmark, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia and Canada. It provides a detailed assessment of the current situation, a description of the policy framework and future scenarios, as well as evaluation and lessons learned.With many health systems still largely built around an acute, episodic model of care, health professionals, policy-makers and patient organizations can learn valuable lessons from the many different strategies being implemented, and begin to develop effective responses to this common challenge.
A Case for Action
People have always travelled within Europe for work and leisure, although never before with the current intensity. Now, however, they are travelling for many other reasons, including the quest for key services such as health care. Whatever the reason for travelling, one question they ask is “If I fall ill, will the health care I receive be of a high standard?” This book examines, for the first time, the systems that have been put in place in all of the European Union’s 27 Member States. The picture it paints is mixed. Some have well developed systems, setting standards based on the best available evidence, monitoring the care provided, and taking action where it falls short. Others need to overcome significant obstacles.