EFA

Following the adoption of the Council’s first-reading opinionon the draft Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross-Border Healthcarein Europe, and before the second-reading process begins in Parliament in the 2011, the European Patients’ Forum, EPF, held a roundtable in Brussels to discuss what is at stake in the Directive from the point of view of different stakeholders, in particular for patients. The Roundtable was made up of representatives from the Belgian Presidency, MEPs who have been instrumental in the first-reading process in Parliament, Commission representatives, as well as doctor, pharmaceutical, hospital, industry and EU Member State representatives. The potential for positive change that the draft Directive – which aims to reimburse patients who travel to Member States other than their own for medical care, foster co-operation in the EU on healthcare, promote equality of treatment and increase EU standards of quality and safety – presents was highlighted by all speakers. Concerns, however, centred on the practical implications of implementation, and how patients would be affected. The issue of payments for cross-border care emerged as a central, with patient groups concerned that no system would be put in place to avoid patients being forced to make upfront payments for treatment before reimbursement. The need for patients to be adequately informed in their Member State of origin before making a decision to go abroad was also stressed, and the establishment of national points of information was called for. Clearer common standards of quality and safety would need to be defined, and a mechanism for implementing them developed. More consideration of the implications for patients with rare diseases is needed, and participants agreed that eHealth needs to be promoted, despite opposition to this on the part of some Member States. There was broad consensus that the Directive is a positive step for patient rights on the whole, and although areas of concern remain, it was recognised as a first step on the road to a more comprehensive and understandable framework. Commissioner for Health and Consumers John Dalli closed the event by reiterating his belief that the Directive will serve to increase the quality of patient care in Europe, and will cause governments to invest more directly in health. Report