Author's posts
French Bank and National Health Insurance Fund Support Start-Ups Investing in Health IT
Last year, the French public investment bank Bpifrance launched a EUR 50 million “patient autonomy fund” (Fond Patient Autonome) to invest in start-ups devoted to health information technology. Bpifrance is now developing a structured partnership with …
Safer Use of Chronic Disease Medications Through Norwegian Medicine Start Program
As part of the Norwegian government’s budget for 2018, the Parliament (“Storting”) introduced a new program called Medicine Start that aims to ensure the safe use of drugs for patients with chronic diseases. The program started in 2018, offering patien…
Partnership to Provide Free Health Insurance for Maori Tribe Members in New Zealand
A deal between Ngati Whatua Orakei — a trust representing the interests of the indigenous Maori Ngati Whatua subtribe in the Orakei region of Auckland — and the Australian insurance company, Nib, will offer free private health insurance to 4,000 Ngati …
Efforts Continue to Implement Digital Health Insurance Card in Germany, Despite Delays
Fourteen years ago, the German ministry of health began to plan for a digital health insurance card for all patients. The card is intended to serve as a safe way for patients to share their electronic health records with providers and help coordinate i…
Patient Fees Clarified for Online Doctor Consultations in Sweden
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKL) has recommended a minimum patient fee of SEK 100 (USD 12) for digital doctor visits. Individual counties can decide to charge prices above this level. Last year, SKL halved provider reimbur…
Ontario Invests CAD 1 Billion to Support Seniors and Caregivers
Ontario is investing CAD 1 billion over three years to support the Seniors’ Healthy Home Program. Starting in 2019, the program will provide up to CAD 750 per year to eligible households led by seniors 75 years and older to support caregivers and help …
NHS Boosts Role of Pharmacists in Reducing Overmedication and Improving Asthma and Dementia Care
England’s National Health Service (NHS) plans to recruit an additional 240 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in nursing and residential care homes in an effort to curb overmedication and hospital stays among elderly patients. Approximately 180,000 c…
Clinician-Led Price Matching and Bulk Buying Creates Savings for Commonly Used Hospital Products in Seven English Hospitals
Clinicians at seven hospitals in Sheffield joined up to create a unique “price-match” scheme that jointly evaluated commonplace items, such as surgical gloves and antiembolism socks, on quality and cost. The hospitals teamed up to buy 11 items in bulk,…
Dutch Government to Start Reviewing Cost Component of Quality Guidelines
Until now, medical experts and the Dutch Care Institute have made decisions regarding national quality guidelines, independent of the Dutch government. Health care ministers Bruins and de Jonge have added a new review step to analyze costs and possibly…
