Welcome to the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies E-Bulletin.

This issue:

1. New Eurohealth

2. New Euro Observer

3. New HiT profiles on Portugal, Uzbekistan and Mongolia

4. New book: The effectiveness of health impact assessment. Scope and limitations of supporting decision-making in Europe

This E-Bulletin can also be viewed at http://intranet.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/Progs/OBS/ListServer/20071018_1

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1. New issue of Eurohealth

This issue focuses on health, technological development and the law. The uncertainty about the full legal implications of using many e-health applications and the need for further clarification is highlighted. A second article on this topic also argues for improvements in legal frameworks, this time in relation to changes in the potential use of nanotechnology. Other topics include: Public-private partnerships in Eastern Europe (Lithuania, Republika Srpska and Albania); Dutch health insurance reform; Medicine, care of the dying, and care of the chronically ill; ECDC: Tackling the free movement of microbes; and European Snapshots (Bulgaria).

Available at http://www.euro.who.int/document/OBS/Eurohealth13_2.pdf

Past issues of Eurohealth available http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Publications/20020524_26

2. New Euro Observer

This issue focuses on the role of information in assuring quality in health care services. An overview article looks at the links between information, patient choice and quality of hospital care in the English NHS. Three case studies, on Denmark, Norway and Sweden, look at the types of health information available for quality assurance and improvement purposes.

Available at http://www.euro.who.int/document/OBS/EuroObserver_Autumn2007.pdf

Past issues of Euro Observer available http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Publications/20020524_29

3. New Health Systems in Transition (HiT) profiles

Portugal: Since the early 1990s, Portugal has experienced a steady growth of public health expenditure. Towards improving the performance in the health system reforms have included: a more effective purchaser-provider split in NHS hospitals; a national health plan; and reform of primary care. The HiT looks at these and other important Portuguese health system issues in detail.

Portuguese HiT available at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E90670.pdf

Uzbekistan: Since it became independent in 1991, Uzbekistan has made progress in the restructuring of different layers of health services, with an increased emphasis on primary care. However, the coordination of different levels of care remains a major challenge and out-of-pocket payments  remain a major barrier to accessing health services and pharmaceuticals. The HiT looks at these and other important Uzbek health system issues in detail.

Uzbek HiT available at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E90673.pdf

Mongolia: Since independence, the inherited Semashko system in Mongolia has evolved into a health system with a mix of revenue sources, private sector service delivery and a plurality of actors. Recent reforms have focused on promoting equity through institutional changes and improvements in quality and efficiency. The HiT looks at these and other important Mongolian health system issues in detail.

Mongolian HiT available at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E90671.pdf

Other HiT country profiles are available http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Hits/TopPage

4. New book: The effectiveness of health impact assessment. Scope and limitations of supporting decision-making in Europe

This book provides a detailed map of the use of HIA in the WHO European Region across a large range of sectors, including transport, environment, urban planning and agriculture, and at national, regional and local levels. It also reviews the implementation and institutionalization of HIA with specific focus on governance, financing, resource generation and delivery.

Full text available for download at: http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Publications/2007/20071016_1

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The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies supports and promotes evidence-based health policy-making through comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the dynamics of health care systems in Europe. The Observatory is a partnership between the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Governments of Belgium, Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, Slovenia and Sweden, the Veneto Region of Italy, the European Investment Bank, the Open Society Institute, the World Bank, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

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