Reimbursement for radiotherapy treatment in the EU countries: how to encourage efficiency, quality and access?

In this paper, the radiotherapy reimbursement systems actually used in the EU countries are compared. From this overview, it is concluded that up to date health care policy makers have not yet tapped all opportunities to encourage efficient, accessible radiotherapy delivery of high quality, through the reimbursement system. Therefore, some recommendations are given on how the reimbursement system can be designed in order to promote efficiency, accessibility and/or quality.

A retrospective study of resource utilisation in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer in Europe.

An estimation of resource utilisation in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer has been carried out by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Data on resource utilisation were collected retrospectively from 10 European centres, examining 20 consecutive patient files in each centre. Data from eight centres are reported in this paper.

The reimbursement of the expenses for medical treatment received by 'transnational' patients in EU-countries.

The number of 'transnational' EU-patients, i.e. EU-citizens receiving medical treatment in another country than their working state--where they contribute for social security--is growing steadily.