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From the therapeutic adherence to the therapeutic alliance: improving trust between patients and professionals to increase healthcare outcomes.
Europe and the Member States have a duty to attempt any possible solution to increase the level of adherence to treatment, in order to achieve important savings and improve the quality of life of citizens. This could be confirmed, of course, also in the next mandate of the EU Institutions. This is, in synthesis, the main message coming from the 12th edition of the European Patients’ Rights Day, held at the European Parliament in Brussels today, and organized by Active Citizenship Network, the European Branch of the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva.
The event was hosted by MEP David Borrelli, introduced by a video message of the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Andriukaitis, and realized thanks the support of: MSD, Merck, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, GAfPA.
A way to make visible the invisible on chronic pain through the arts
"ARTISTS AGAINST PAIN" is the title of the cultural event scheduled for next March 17 in Milan, Italy, aimed to unit arts and advocacy groups on the topic of chronic pain.
The initiative is promoted by the artistic cultural association “Bioforme” in partnership with the European branch of the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva, Active Citizenship Network, the Maltese association "No Pain Foundation", and the patronage of Municipality 8 of the City of Milan.
A major step forward for pain patients! Health ministers call for action on access to treatment for patients suffering from chronic pain
Friday June 16th, at a high level EU meeting, Health Ministers included chronic pain in the conclusions inviting Member States to evaluate access to treatment.
Brussels, Belgium – Friday June 16th, the Council of the European Union on Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs adopted its conclusions on “Encouraging Member States-driven Voluntary Cooperation of Health Systems” (1).
Martin Seychell, Deputy Director General Dg Sante, Formally Announces Launch of Pain Expert and Stakeholder Group on the Eu Health Policy Platform at the Societal Impact of Pain Symposium
Valletta, Malta, June 9, 2017. The 7th annual Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) symposium comes to an end today, with clear policy recommendations having been formulated to change pain care in the European Union for the better and alleviate the effect of pain on society. Martin Seychell, Deputy Director General in the Health and Food Safety's Directorate, announced in a speech that the European Commission is following SIP’s lead and has launched the EU Health Policy Platform to build a bridge between health systems and policy makers. Among other health policy areas, the societal impact of pain is included as well and will have a dedicated expert group.
4 BEST PRACTICES AWARDED TODAY IN MALTA BY PRESIDENT PRECA IN THE FIRST EUROPEAN CIVIC AWARD ON CHRONIC PAIN PROMOTED BY ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP NETWORK-CITTADINANZATTIVA
4 best practices activities have been awarded today in Malta at Casino Maltese by the President of Malta Republic Maria Louise Coleiro Preca, thanks to the “EU Civic prize on Chronic Pain”, promoted by the Italian NGO Active Citizenship Network-Cittadinanzattiva during the annual symposium on the “Societal Impact of Pain” (SIP).
How to better access to innovative therapies: in Brussels today the
11th Patients’ Rights Day promoted by Active Citizenship Network and dozens of European civic associations.
Active Citizenship Network is celebrating today, with a multi-stakeholder conference at EESC in Brussels the 11th European Patients’ Rights Day.
The aim of the convention was to discuss, inform and suggest new approaches to the existing European and National Medicines Regulatory Systems, for better management of access to innovation. Indeed, the access to innovative therapies strongly contributes to define the quality of life of patients and the quality of healthcare services provided, respecting the fundamental values recognised by the European Charter of Patients’ Rights, promoted by Active Citizenship Network in 2012, and undersigned by dozens of European civic associations (list available on www.activecitizenship.net). The event was an occasion to inform, discuss and take commitments to improve the respect of patients’ rights and their involvement in the policy-making and regulatory processes at national and European level.
Winner to be announced on 1 February at special EU Parliament event on citizen engagement in sustainable energy
Brussels, 10 January 2017. The long awaited winner of the 2016 Citizenergy Project of the Year award is due to be announced on 1 February in the halls of the EU Parliament during a special session on citizen engagement in sustainable energy. The award celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Citizenergy portal for community energy investment. The overwhelmingly clear results were a product of votes cast by hundreds of individuals, each of whom rated crowdfunded and cooperative based energy projects according to their contribution to a sustainable energy future.
France, Ireland, Italy and Slovenia set an example for pain patients, other member states struggle
When it was completed in 2011, the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive seemed to usher in a new era of rights for patients seeking healthcare in the European Union. The Directive requires national governments to take a flexible approach to EU citizens accessing national healthcare systems, with costs being recouped at a later date through inter-governmental exchanges. While the complexities of member state insurance systems recouping costs may be a challenge, the principal of access treatment across the EU is one which member state governments are all, in theory, signed up to.
Chronic pain affects one in five Europeans
It’s time for the EU to act! Make pain care a priority for healthier citizens and a stronger economy. The Societal Impact of Pain’s (SIP) 2016 symposium will aim to engage all stakeholder groups involved in future policy making impacting the societal impact of pain.
Reducing waste and inefficiency in the healthcare systems,
increasing quality of patient care
“Active Citizenship Network promotes this multi-stakeholder event since 2007, and as its Director, I am so honored to celebrate this relevant anniversary here at the EU Parliament”. With these remarks Mariano Votta, Director of Active Citizenship Network-Cittadinanzattiva opened the X European Patients’ Rights today in European Parliament, in Brussels, with leaders of civic and patient organizations coming from 25 Countries, some of them outside the European Union, such us Albania, Russia, Macedonia, Switzerland. With them, many representatives and leaders of 18 networks at EU level, professionals and experts, companies and providers, public relation agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
The event has been hosted thanks to the Members of the European Parliament David Borrelli, Co-Chair of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, and to his colleague Piernicola Pedicini, ENVI Committee Coordinator for his group.
The 10th edition main topic was the fight against waste and inefficiency in the healthcare systems. As clearly stated by European Commission Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, “there is ample evidence of pervasive inefficiency in the process of transforming resources into health outcomes, generating economic waste and being a contributory factor for the excessive health expenditure growth”.
The World Health Organization estimated that from 20% to 40% of all the health spending is wasted through inefficiency.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that average life expectancy could increase by about 2 years in Europe, if resources were used more efficiently.
Consequently, reducing inefficiencies can lead to substantial gains.
Up to Active citizenship network, waste in the National Health Service is any activity, behavior, good and service that uses resources, without producing results in terms of health, wellness and quality of life as established by the European Charter of Patients' Rights.
There is another and more relevant reason that suggests us to address this topic: we believe that citizens play an active role in the fight against inefficiencies. This is a must for my organization at all levels, included in our corporate vision, as underlined in the following statement:
"Cittadinanzattiva – Active Citizenship Network believes that citizens have the power, by organizing themselves, to overcome conditions of subordination and violation of their rights, to build a world where no human being is excluded and no common good is wasted", declared Antonio Gaudioso, general secretary of Cittadinanzattiva.
For us, waste is a cross-cutting issue, which refers to the way in which common goods are used and, more specifically, to their selfish and inappropriate use: this happens when economic, environmental, landscape or human resources are underused, abandoned, deprived of value and of their planning skills.Having a negative impact on those resources, waste - of whatever type - damage common goods and limit citizens’ rights, especially those of future generations.
In this sense, the joint efforts of all the social stakeholders (institutions, businesses, experts, media, civic organizations and individuals) are crucial to fight waste in an effective and permanent way.
There are many actions that citizens can undertake to fight waste, and fighting against waste in healthcare, both citizens and patients can play a key role by acting as sentinels to track and report corruption, irregularities and inefficiency; they can even contribute to the reduction of waste by adopting responsible behaviors and effective lifestyles, respecting the rules of access to health services; adhering to therapeutic paths and consciously using drugs.
In general, being committed to the proper allocation of all resources, to the promotion of real and non-formal transparency of public administration, to contrasting inefficiencies, corruption, to ensuring that “economic savings actually remain in health” from our point of view means protecting the right to health for everyone and protecting the National Health Service in each Member State as a common good.
Institutions at different level, citizens and patients through their organizations, professionals, public and private sector, must work together to achieve these goals. We believe that many actors are already doing their part to fight against waste and inefficiency. The main part of the conference will be dedicated to the presentation of these good practices that should be valued (the full report can be downloaded from the website www.activecitizenship.net). The report is based on 22 examples coming from 10 Countries. Most of them are related to the fighting of “inefficiently delivered services”. Other to the “missed prevention opportunities” and to the “excessive administrative costs”.
Only three good practices reported about “unnecessary services”.
The main actors of the gathered good practices are “health professionals”(14/22), followed by the “health care organizations” (12/22) and “Institutions” directly involved in the development of healthcare services. An important role is also played by the universities, patients’ organizations and patients.
The secret of their success often lies in the ability to collaborate with private and public sectors.
The 10th European Patients’ Rights Day was realized thanks to the support of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis Oncology and Roche.
Cittadinanzattiva APS
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00183 Roma
Tel: (+39) 06.36.71.81
Fax: (+39) 06.36.71.83.33
Rue Philippe Le Bon, 46
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