Health tourism and public health: when novelty crosses the added value of multilateralism

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Saboga-Nunes ◽  
A Amaral

Abstract Background Of the EU citizens, 5% get medical treatment in another EU country (MTT), 33% are willing to travel to get MTT and 53% willing to travel for better quality MTT (Statista 2018). In Portugal between 2017 and 2018 almost 1000 patients were treated in another EU country (cost/mean of 10 thousand Euros). Portugal has increase hindrances in disease care at the NHS. The private sector increased its market share (attracting specialists out of the NHS). While waiting lists, as shortness of human resources prevails, have no sign of changing in the near future, European regulations create expectations to receive appropriate timely MTT. To deal with the complexity of the topic a study case based on cataract disease, will be used. As national strategies try to fill precise gaps to answer specific disease conditions, Medical Tourism (MT) demand can be seen as a strategy to decrease inequalities of access? Methods A tracer methodology, looking at cataracts treatment in the population, is used to understand how demand increase can be mitigated with a European answer of MTT. Results Although Portugal has the highest rate of cataract operations in the EU28 (14 operations per thousand inhabitants (2015)) demand is not answered by the NHS, with a wating list of 194 days for the first consultation and about 100 days of waiting lists to get operated (and increasing over recent years). Regional municipalities have tried to overcome this NHS failure by offering its populations treatment vouchers in another countries. Nevertheless, the National Audit Office ruled as illegal such initiatives and moreover, at the NHS, cataract operations are not allowed in another country. Conclusions Although very rare and specific disease conditions have been allowed to be answered by MTT, common and increasingly debilitated conditions, e.g. cataracts, remain inaccessible for citizens in proper and due time while MT stands as an open option.

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-67
Author(s):  
Hanneke van Eijken

Abstract What was the added value of the Ruiz Zambrano judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU for the development of EU citizenship? And how does that affect the national level? In this contribution the case of Ruiz Zambrano and the subsequent case law of the Court of Justice and the Dutch courts is assessed to reveal its impact on EU citizenship and the protection of fundamental rights. The contribution shows that Ruiz Zambrano could be called a revolution, in the sense that irrespective of the exercise of free movement, nationals of the Member States can invoke their status of being an EU citizen. That has consequences for family reunification, and the right to reside as a family in the EU. However, the line of case law is still very limited and can be restricted on grounds of public policy and security (and public health; so far there is no case law on restriction on public health and Article 20 TFEU, but in the context of Covid-19 that might be different in the near future). Moreover, the fundamental rights narrative in the cases on Article 20 TFEU became more prominent. However, the implementation of this line of case law lies at the national level and the Dutch case law on Article 20 TFEU is therefore analysed as an example.


2017 ◽  
pp. 32-51
Author(s):  
Eunhee Sung ◽  
Wilson Ozuem

The combination of medical treatment and tourism seems to be a promising and relatively new type of niche tourism. The globalization of health care has given rise to a new form of tourism that is commonly known as health tourism. Within the health tourism arena, medical tourism is among the fastest growing sectors. It enables patients to quickly and conveniently travel to receive medical services at lower prices and of better quality than they could in their native countries. Yet analyses of medical tourism in developing, emerging markets are under developed, particularly in South Korea. As a response, this chapter examines the customer-perceived value of medical tourism, which deriving explicit factors that influence choice in relation to medical tourism.


Author(s):  
Eunhee Sung ◽  
Wilson Ozuem

The combination of medical treatment and tourism seems to be a promising and relatively new type of niche tourism. The globalization of health care has given rise to a new form of tourism that is commonly known as health tourism. Within the health tourism arena, medical tourism is among the fastest growing sectors. It enables patients to quickly and conveniently travel to receive medical services at lower prices and of better quality than they could in their native countries. Yet analyses of medical tourism in developing, emerging markets are under developed, particularly in South Korea. As a response, this chapter examines the customer-perceived value of medical tourism, which deriving explicit factors that influence choice in relation to medical tourism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  

Abstract The goal of this workshop is to bring health tourism (HT) to the public health perspective, raise awareness for viable HT in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), while introducing the “European Charter for Sustainable Health Tourism”! Mobility and the EU open market, have incremented a new trend in the European global economy, based in HT. In 2017 of the general tourism in the EU28, 5% was due to HT. It is expected that this share will increase in the near future. The concept of HT needs to be refurbished since it does not represent only medical tourism (that is the object of an increasing set of regulations among member states) but it includes also wellbeing and wellness (e.g with spa and quality of life tourism) that is not scrutinized by treaties, international or even national regulatory agencies. Citizens, therefore, play a major role in the marked demand of HT, either by being active actors in the procurement of services or commodities (Prosumers), or by being passive consumers (Passumers) of a strategic market not always aligned with well-being and quality of life. Therefore, the need for a “European Charter for Sustainable Health Tourism” is a set of references to increase health literacy about HT and its real impact in public health. Moreover, the aim of this workshop is to study opportunities, offer examples and discuss on how to develop, evolve and improve health promotion practices by actions taken at the HT setting. First we want to invite the audience to discuss HT from the salutogenesis perspective; In a second moment an interregional point of view of the Silver Economy will frame the conceptual framework on HT; a third presentation will look at a particular case of HT and public health and the added value of multilateralism; from here the participants will be invited to consider the particular case of Health and Wellness tourism in Sicily; the final presenters will look at HT in the perspective of the Reference Sites Collaborative Network. This workshop will use interactive methodologies of participation so that the audience will be actively involved in the discussion and wants to offer a forum for public health researchers, practitioners and policy-makers interested in HT and methodological insights and will allow discussing results, facilitate exchange, and support further synergies between countries. Key messages The goal of this workshop is to raise awareness for sustainable health tourism in the context of the SDG, by proposing the adoption of the first “European Charter for Sustainable Health Tourism”. Explore how in European Countries (study cases) health tourism answers health promotion principles for a more sustainable society.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4762
Author(s):  
Daniela Nicoleta Sahlian ◽  
Adriana Florina Popa ◽  
Raluca Florentina Creţu

The aim of our study was to analyze whether the increase in the use of renewable energy can help GDP growth. The research carried out shows that renewable energy has the ability to decrease or neutralize the negative impact of greenhouse gases (GHG), but also to maintain economic growth. We focused our analysis on the EU-28 as we know that the EU Commission’s aim, in the near future, is to join forces to reduce the GHG used and move to renewable sources. We used a panel analysis with data between 2000 and 2019 from all Member States, and our results showed that their economic growth is influenced positively by the production of renewable energy, the GHG per capita, and the GHG intensity per GDP.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gelius ◽  
◽  
Sven Messing ◽  
Sarah Forberger ◽  
Jeroen Lakerveld ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Public policy is increasingly recognized as an important component of physical activity promotion. This paper reports on the current status of physical activity policy development and implementation in four European countries based on the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policy Audit Tool (HEPA PAT) developed by WHO. It compares the findings to previous studies and discusses the general utility of this tool and its unique features in relation to other instruments. Methods The study was conducted as part of the Policy Evaluation Network (www.jpi-pen.eu) in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland. Data collection built upon information obtained via the EU Physical Activity Monitoring Framework survey, additional desk research and expert opinion. Data analysis employed Howlett’s policy cycle framework to map and compare national physical activity policies in the four countries. Results In all countries under study, policy agenda-setting is influenced by prevalence data from national health monitoring systems, and the sport and/or health sector takes the lead in policy formulation. Key policy documents were located mainly in the health sector but also in sport, urban design and transport. Physical activity programmes implemented to meet policy objectives usually cover a broad range of target groups, but currently only a small selection of major policies are evaluated for effectiveness. National experts made several suggestions to other countries wishing to establish physical activity policies, e.g. regarding cross-sectoral support and coordination, comprehensive national action plans, and monitoring/surveillance. Conclusions This study provides a detailed overview of physical activity policies in the four countries. Results show that national governments are already very active in the field but that there is room for improvement in a number of areas, e.g. regarding the contribution of sectors beyond sport and health. Using the HEPA PAT simultaneously in four countries also showed that procedures and timelines have to be adapted to national contexts. Overall, the instrument can make an important contribution to understanding and informing physical activity policy, especially when used as an add-on to regular monitoring tools like the EU HEPA Monitoring Framework.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 220-240
Author(s):  
Mustafa IŞIK ◽  
Yakup ÖZSEZER ◽  
Fikriye IŞIK

Tourism sector is one of the major driving forces to develop the Turkish economy which provides the positive contributions with new employment opportunities and the national income and payments. With aid of this developments in economy by tourism, it has also increased the interaction with alternative areas. Health Tourism is also one of the special areas in which provides to the country high added value and foreign currency exchange income. Since the revenue outcome by health tourism is reaching up to 100 billion dollars, the national policy of health tourism enable countries has been undertaken as a high interested point of investment needed area. The critical threshold of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 4 to 5 percent as a current account balance and this deficient outcome in Turkey mostly takes on 5 to 4 percent which is a considered as a critical threshold. Health Tourism is expected to play a key role in bringing the values to the positive levels and therefore the focus is becoming on this area by health sector. Developing countries such as India, Singapore, and Thailand meet their foreign trade deficits with the income where they have obtained from this specific sector and the level of growth in this sector is at certain rate every year. The health Tourism is very crucial and significant sector for such a country Turkey, who has current budget deficit, and it is real economic sense. With Covid-19 crisis, the plans related with health tourism is re-evaluated by the coordination between Turkish Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Economy. Especially, with the infrastructure works carried for public and city hospitals has been capable of providing health tourism services within the organization which is called “USHAŞ (International Health Services)”. The health tourism sector offers significant opportunities for Turkey during Covid-19 pandemic effects on our current account deficit and the decline in economic recovery of our tourism industry and losses. With health tourism created opportunities is already in an increasing trend, to contribute to the country’s economy much faster by increasing target markets with public-private cooperation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Pérez Requejo ◽  
Justo Aznar Lucea

Mai prima d’ora i pazienti gravemente malati o con malattie incurabili o croniche, sono stati così esposti a organizzazioni mediche senza scrupoli, che approfittando del loro logico disagio e della loro preoccupazione promettono cure miracolose e trattamenti, facendo pagare enormi somme di denaro per procedure senza alcuna garanzia, alcun reale beneficio e, peggio ancora, con gravi rischi per la salute. Questo articolo discute alcuni casi di pazienti che hanno pagato con la loro salute, spesso irrimediabilmente, o in maniera catastrofica, gli effetti di terapie teoricamente avanzate con cellule staminali di alcuni centri. Ci si è riferiti a diversi paesi che, in tempi anche non remoti, offrono e praticano qualcuno di questi trattamenti, il più delle volte attraverso strategie di marketing dirette e aggressive per i pazienti o le loro famiglie, mostrando reale o fittizi rapporti relativi ad altri pazienti, ma senza previ studi scientifici che avvalorino i risultati dei presunti benefici. In questo articolo, discutiamo alcuni utili suggerimenti e linee guida internazionali per riconoscerli ed evitarli. Inoltre, abbiamo discusso in dettaglio le ragioni specifiche per cui la maggior parte dei medici e clinici sollevino dei dubbi sulla competenza e le ragioni etiche di questi centri e scoraggino i viaggi di questo “turismo medico”. È sempre consigliabile chiedere il consiglio del medico di famiglia o specialista, prima della decisione dei pazienti di ricevere trattamenti dubbi, con la certezza che il paziente avrà sempre la sua comprensione e il supporto emotivo e medico. ---------- Never before seriously ill patients with chronic or incurable diseases have been so exposed to unscrupulous medical organizations that, taking advantage of their logical distress and worry, promise miracle cures and treatments and charge them huge amounts of money for procedures with no guarantee, no real benefits and, even worse, with serious risks to their health. This paper discusses some cases of patients who paid with their health, often irreparably, or catastrophically, the effects of supposedly advanced therapy centers with stem cells. Several countries are mentioned, not always as remote, which offer and practice any of these treatments, most often by direct and aggressive marketing to patients or their families, showing real or fictional accounts of other patients, but without the previous studies and scientific papers that endorse their supposed beneficial results. In this article we discuss some useful hints and international guidelines to recognize and avoid them. Also, we discussed in detail the specific reasons why most doctors and clinics doubt about the competence and ethical reasons of these centers and discourage those “medical tourism” trips. It is always advisable to seek the advice of the family doctor or specialist in charge, before the patients decision to receive dubious treatments, with the assurance that, decide what the patient decide, they will have always his understanding and his emotional and medical support.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-31
Author(s):  
Xénia Szanyi-Gyenes ◽  
György Mudri ◽  
Mária Bakosné Böröcz

The role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is unquestionable in the European economies, while financial opportunities are still inadequate for them. The more than 20 million SMEs play a significant role in European economic growth, innovation and job creation. According to the latest EC Annual Report , SMEs are accounting for 99% of all non-financial enterprises, employing 88.8 million people and generating almost EUR 3.7 tn in added value for our economy. Despite the fact that there is plenty of EU funding available for these SMEs, for certain reasons these funds hardly reach them. But we have to see that the EU supports SMEs by various way, e.g. by grants, regulatory changes, financial instrument, direct funds. On the other hand, SMEs and decision makers realised that the environmental sustainability has to be attached to the economic growth, therefore more and more tools are available for these enterprises. Over the last few years, public institutions, the market, the financial community and non-governmental associations have explicitly demanded that firms improve their environmental performance. One of the greatest opportunities might lay in the Climate- and Energy Strategy till 2030 as 20% of the EU budget is allocated to climate-related actions, however the easy access to finance is still a key question. Does the EU recognise the actual difficulties? Is there a systemic reason behind the absorption problems? Is the EU creating a more businessfriendly environment for SMEs, facilitating access to finance, stimulates the green and sustainable growth and improving access to new markets? The paper analyses the current European situation of the SMEs and the effectiveness of some new tools, which are specially targeting SMEs. JEL classification: Q18


Author(s):  
Eugenio Mattei ◽  
Federica Censi ◽  
Giovanni Calcagnini ◽  
Rosaria Falsaperla

Workers with cardiac active implantable medical devices (AIMD), such as a pacemaker (PM) or an implantable defibrillator (ICD), are considered by the occupational health and safety regulation framework as a particularly sensitive risk group that must be protected against the dangers caused by the interference of electromagnetic field (EMF). In this paper, we first describe the general methodology that shall be followed for the risk assessment of employees with a cardiac AIMD exposed to EMF, according to the EU regulation, and in particular to the EN 50527-2-1:2016 and 50527-2-2:2018 standards. Then, three case studies related to specific EMF sources are presented, to better describe how the initial analysis of the risk assessment can be performed in practice, and to understand if a further specific risk assessment analysis is required or not.


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