1. EPHA Briefing Paper (Part 2): High Level Reflection Process on Patient Mobility in the EU - summary of final recommendations - December 2003 (See also Part 1 for an overview) Binal Nathwani - EPHA High Reflection Process was convened in 2002 after a number of significant European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings concerning the internal market and the rights of patients to seek treatment in other Member States (MS). The Process consisted of MS and other key stakeholders, and entailed several confidential meetings. The issue of patient mobility was divided into five categories to enable closer deliberation. The final report of this process was published in Dec. 2003. It does not represent the views of the Commission. Theme 1: European Co- operation on Resources: to explore possibility of reaching common understanding on patients’ rights & duties (both social and individual) at EU level; invite the Commission to facilitate information sharing on possible available healthcare capacity, existing supply, cost, prices etc; invite Commission to explore possibility of drawing up transparent framework for healthcare purchasing; to encourage work on recognition procedures to facility mobility of health professionals; invite Commission & MS to identify centres of reference (excellence) & foster networking & co-operation; invite Commission to explore practicalities of creating a network on health technology assessment. Theme 2: Information Invite Commission to develop a framework for health information at EU level, including identifying the varying information needs of the different stakeholders eg patients, professionals & policy-makers, and how that information can be provided; Commission invited to address issue of data protection; Commission invited to consider establishing principles concerning the competence & responsibilities of those involved in e-health service provision. Theme 3: Access & Quality: Invite Commission to explore practicalities of establishing a framework for systematic data collection across enlarged EU including systems outside social security Regulation 1408/71; invite MS & acceding states to show the different access routes from their own countries to healthcare in other MS; invite States and Commission to develop accurate data collection systems about mobility of health professionals, and share comparable workforce data; invite the Commission to prepare an analysis of Community activities to see how they can better facilitate access & quality in healthcare. Reconciling National Objectives with EU Obligations: Invite Commission to review issues raised by interaction of Community rules & national health policy objectives; invite Commission & MS to explore how legal certainty could be improved following ECJ rulings about patients’ rights to have treatment in other MS; invite consideration to develop permanent EU mechanism to support co-operation in field of health care & to monitor the impact of the EU on health systems in MS. Health-Related Issues & the Union’s Cohesion & Structural Funds: invite Commision & States to consider how to facilitate the inclusion of investment in health and associated skills & infrastructure, as priority areas for funding under existing Community financial instruments, especially in Objective One areas. The Commission is due to issue its response to the Reflection process in March 2004. Part 2 - Dec. 03.