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Debate between the EU institutions, health professionals and patients on the draft directive launched
The roundtable "High Quality Healthcare in Europe," organized jointly by the Council of European Dentists (CED) and the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) on the 10th of September in Brussels, provided one of the first opportunities for stakeholders to discuss the Commission's recent proposal for a Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross-Border Healthcare. The event under the patronage of Othmar Karas, MEP, brought together Commission officials and MEPs to exchange views with the main organisations of European health professionals and patients on the proposed Directive, as well as on the wider institutional and political framework for cross-border healthcare in Europe.
EU Commissioner for Health and Consumers, Androulla Vassiliou, opened the debate with a keynote presentation. She confirmed the continued commitment of the Commission to dialogue and cooperation in the process leading to the adoption of the proposed Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross-Border Healthcare with those most directly affected by it: the health professionals and the patients.
During the debate, all representatives, those of the health professionals as well as the patients, welcomed the directive and reiterated the need to enshrine patients' rights of access to safe and high quality healthcare throughout the EU in a legal document.
CPME President Dr. Michael Wilks pointed out, among other issues, the necessity of good information systems for both patients and physicians that support cross-border care.
CED President Dr. Orlando Monteiro da Silva noted that quality is definable but very difficult to measure. "We must focus on the three main principles of strategy, high quality and efficiency, doing the right thing right."
The moderator, Dr. Matthias Wismar of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, concluded that there is a consensus among the panellists on the need for this directive.
Othmar Karas, MEP (EPP), played a lead role in negotiating an agreement between the European Parliament and the Council under the Austrian EU Presidency in 2005, leading to the exclusion of health services from the Services Directive. Other speakers included DG SANCO Head of Unit Bernard Merkel, MEPs Bernadette Vergnaud (PES) and Holger Krahmer (ALDE), and Dr. Anders Olauson, President of the European Patients' Forum.