February 2018 – Healthcare – Quality and patient-focused

According to the recommendations of the “Report of the Panel of Experts on Effective Ways of Investing in Health“, investments should be guided by the quality and safety of care. May we ask if this principle is shared only by Providers or known by Regulatory States too? Tariff reduction in the private sector remains a frequent temptation. The example of Portugal is so bad that it is shocking. How to provide quality service when unilaterally prices are cut by 10%? What sector, be it public or private, can absorb this shock, which calls into question training, investment and organization strategies, without inevitably deteriorating the service provided? In “Regulatory States”, the independence between the regulator and the provider is a must recalling the simple principle of equity regardless of the legal nature of the establishment.

The European Union of Private Hospitals (UEHP) is engaged in all the battles at the service of the patient – respect for their free choice – but there is still a need for “fair competition” to be recognized among sectors. Investment strategies and managerial intelligence are the main strengths of our industry for organizational innovation. Low-cost health is a losing strategy because it is the patient who ultimately is not taken into consideration. We expect shared responsibilities and equity in any public decision that affects the organization of healthcare. These are strong reasons to have private hospitals: the quality of service and the focus on the patient. We cannot therefore accept a short-term approach and value only the price. The only true solution to European commitments is to base decisions on the quality of the services provided.