The European Steering Group (ESG) on Sustainable Healthcare - with the support of AbbVie and chaired by former Irish health minister Mary Harney - yesterday published the European White Paper "Acting Together - Roadmap for Sustainable Healthcare". for sustainable healthcare. On the basis of evidence collected and initiatives carried out in 24 EU countries, the White Paper formulates 18 recommendations to improve the sustainability of European health systems addressed to the various interlocutors of national and European institutions and highlights the need for all players in the health sector to act together now, before it's too late.
Today people are living longer and many of the elderly suffer from chronic diseases. At the same time, governments are faced with the need to cut budgets. European society is evolving and healthcare systems need to adapt to these changes: offering more, better care, delivered in different ways and at lower costs.
Here are some data. 37% of the European population will be over 60 by 2050. Chronic diseases: are the cause of more than 86% of all deaths, affect more than 60% of people over the age of 65, and concern about 75% of expenditure, 700 billion a year. Almost 9% of GDP and 14% of total expenditure on average in EU Member States is allocated to health.
Nearly two-thirds is spent on inpatient and outpatient care.
“As a global biopharmaceutical company with a strong presence in Europe, AbbVie is committed to finding solutions for sustainable healthcare in the EU that can help both patients and healthcare systems adapt to the challenges of the modern world." says Dr. Pascale Richetta, member of the ESG group and Vice President Western Europe & Canada of AbbVie.
“Through our involvement in the European Steering Group for Sustainable Healthcare we are working with civil society, healthcare professionals, scientific societies, academics and industry to help address the challenges posed to European healthcare systems” continues Dr. Pascale Richetta. “We need to transform our health systems to ensure they are fit to meet social and economic challenges. This is why we must all act together. No one can do it alone."
The European Steering Group (ESG) – established in 2014 thanks to the initiative of AbbVie – brings together representatives of institutions, civil society, healthcare professionals and scientific societies, academics and industry representatives. After a year of work, the ESG group has collected data, evidence and results resulting from initiatives implemented in 24 European countries to develop solutions capable of promoting sustainable healthcare.
“The data and evidence gathered clearly demonstrate that European healthcare systems are at a crossroads. I am convinced that sustainable healthcare can become a reality, but only if we adopt a creative way of thinking and a collaborative and integrated approach. This is what emerges from the remarkable work carried out through 30 pilot projects in 24 European countries. Now is the time to move on to the next phase by transferring this work to a European level” explains Professor Walter Ricciardi of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Rapporteur of the European White Paper and member of the European Public Health Association.
An example of a creative and collaborative way of thinking is represented by the Early Intervention Clinic initiative carried out at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos of Madrid in Spain. This project demonstrates that intelligent investments in prevention and early interventions in the health and social welfare sector can generate savings of 11 euros for every euro invested. Through the development of diagnostic, referral and early intervention programs the hospital has been able to reduce: the number of sick days, the use of health care resources as well as Social Security reimbursements, and the development of permanent disabilities at work of patients.
The 18 recommendations drafted by the ESG group address three main themes, viz prevention and early intervention, greater empowerment and empowerment of citizens, reorganization in the provision of health services, and identify several actions to be implemented:
- A stronger focus on prevention for healthcare investments with the definition of a European target for the shift of investments from treatments to prevention and early interventions, and the development of a scorecard capable of monitoring progress for all EU Member States;
– An alignment of the monitoring regarding health trends and data collection;
- New European rules and regulations for data protection to ensure their appropriate use in order to develop intervention strategies in the health field and at the same time guarantee patient privacy;
– A major involvement of employers and health professionals in the occupational medicine sector;
- Face medical illiteracy;
– Adoption of new technologies to support the transformation of healthcare.
“The ESG Group Roadmap indicates only the beginning of a direct path towards the sustainability of healthcare. Maintaining the status quo is not an option if we are to continue to offer European citizens high-quality, accessible and affordable healthcare for all. This transformation of healthcare is complex and cannot be achieved quickly or through isolated actions. I hope the many stakeholders involved will join us in this collaborative effort." concludes Mary Harney, President of the Steering Group and former Irish Minister of Health.
The hope of the ESG group is that national and European institutions, together with all the main public and private sector stakeholders, are motivated to contribute to the implementation of these recommendations and to translate the concept of healthcare sustainability into reality.
The White Paper and recommendations were published at an event held yesterday in Brussels and the document is available at the following link: http://www.abbvie.com/sustainable-healthcare
