Editorial by HFE President John Bowis: After two years of debate, the Council is close to finalizing its’ position on the medical devices directive. The MDD, as it’s known to most, was proposed in the aftermath of a scandal where patients were harmed due to fraud and lack of oversight in the approval of silicone breast implants (PIP).

Editorial by HFE Vice-President Bert Van Caelenberg

As patients, carers of patients, friends of patients and ultimately future patients, many of us have been calling for healthcare policies to support a revolution towards innovative treatments, infrastructures, and communication tools. Enhancing community care, empowering patients and partnering with targeted key stakeholders should be part of this revolution and certainly part of a more holistic solution.

We all know that the European Union’s current demographics are requiring a serious debate about the need to transform traditional healthcare systems. As patients, many of us have been calling for changes – eHealth implementation, access to care in the community, greater focus and accessibility to preventive services – but fundamental change of healthcare delivery lags behind our desires as consumers of health services.  How much more patient should we be as patients? When will the focus of health policy shift to towards the patient and away from acute-only treatment?

When you need medical treatment, do you ever wonder why some products and services are available and others aren’t? Perhaps your friend in another country is able to get a treatment for a similar ailment that you can’t? Editorial by HFE President John Bowis 

In 2014, Health First Europe will celebrate 10 years of working to ensure the well-being of European citizens by fostering access to the most innovative technologies to prevent, diagnose, monitor, manage, treat and cure diseases.  Our work this year will continue to build upon our belief that “health is wealth” by aiming for more sustainable healthcare in Europe, supporting patients to seek trusted information, protecting patients in health settings and making innovations in health systems more accessible to patients.

Access for patients to medical technologies is a key issue in Europe right now, particularly due to discussions on changing rules of approval for medical devices as well as the concluding discussions in the European Parliament regarding patient safety in healthcare settings. 

This past week, EU Health Ministers gathered for an informal meeting in Dublin to discuss a variety of health issues, one of which was patient safety. Read the editorial by David Byrne, HFE Patron

Health First Europe has always believed that by bringing together all health stakeholders, solutions for challenges in healthcare can be found that benefit all patients.  In 2012, we continued in our conviction that together we could better protect patients and improve access to treatment.

In the run up to the United Nations (UN) “High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases” also known as the UN Summit on NCDs the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) has been carrying out a number of activities to ensure that there is a strong patient voice in the development of strategies to fight NCDs.

Though we live in countries with well-funded and advanced healthcare settings, we all know that receiving medical treatment inevitably carries risk with it. However, less is known about the procedures in place to minimise the risk of adverse events. Should I be scared to enter a healthcare setting? How do I know if the hospital where I am treated has a procedure in place to minimise risk so that it is not complicated by an infection?

Editorial by HFE President John Bowis: At Health First Europe, we believe that “Health equals wealth.” We believe that investment in the healthcare systems throughout Europe will contribute to a more efficient, effective and productive society.

New legislation was recently passed by the EU to protect Europe’s healthcare workers from potentially fatal blood-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. John Bowis, Health First Europe (HFE) Honorary President, comments on the new directive and its significance to paramedic practice.

HFE welcomed the Commission’s points to: Increase co-operation between Member States to promote research excellence Augment investment in the EU budget allocated to health Use of open method of co-ordination as a mean to maximise […]

For over a decade now, the 3rd of December, the “International Day of Disabled Persons” has served as a reminder of the challenges on the way towards full integration of persons with disabilities, in a political as well as social and economic context. The Day also offers an opportunity to consider progress in terms of political participation, socio-economic integration, access to treatments and assistive technologies as well as general awareness of disability issues.