Assuring quality of health care in the European Union

Citation

(2008), "Assuring quality of health care in the European Union", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2008.06221gae.003

Assuring quality of health care in the European Union

Article Type: Recent Publications From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 21, Issue 7

Helena Legido-Quigley Martin McKee Ellen Nolte Irene A Glinos,European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies WHO European Center for Health Policy,June 2008,ISBN: 978 92 890 7193 2,

Keywords: Healthcare quality assurance, Healthcare delivery, National health standards, Health policy, International cooperation

This book now 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.

The European Union has only limited ability to take action on health care but if free movement of Europe’s citizens is to become a reality, an essential measure would be to ensure that appropriate systems are in place to ensure high quality care, even if the approaches taken will vary according to local circumstances. This requires a dialogue between those responsible for funding and providing health care in Europe. This book contributes to this important process.

Contents include:

Quality of care:

1. 1.

   Dimensions of quality of care.

2. 2.

   Levels of quality of care.

3. 3.

   Assessing quality of care.

4. 4.

   Conceptual framework.

Quality of care strategies in the EU:

1. 1.

   Health systems quality assessment.

2. 2.

   Organizational quality assessment.

3. 3.

   Clinical quality assessment.

Patients, quality of care and cross-border care in the EU:

1. 1.

   Methodology:

   • •

     The users of cross-border health care: mobile patients.

   • •

     Patient experiences: different aspects of quality in cross-border care.

   • •

     Mechanisms for ensuring quality of care and communication between providers.

Policies to promote quality of care in EU Member States.

Conclusions – Meeting the needs of Europe’s citizens.