How to implement the Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare with  a citizen-centered transposition. The Cancer care as example of patients’ involvement in the EU health care policies.

ROME—Patient involvement in European health care is critical for the success of health services in the EU.
The purpose of European Patients’ Rights Day is to increase involvement of patients in health care policymaking. Patient involvement is even more relevant for this year’s event, as 2013 is the European Year of Citizens, and 25 October 2013 is the deadline for each EU member state to implement the Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Health Care.

The European Patients’ Rights day conference, which will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on 16 May, EESC Building, will consist of two sessions, focusing on cross-border health care and patients’ involvement. Along with the opening remarks from Testori Coggi and the MEP Antonyia Parvanova, the first session will feature a panel of patients’ and advocacy associations and DG Sanco representative to discuss the involvement of patients’ organisations in the transposition process of the Directive on Cross Border Health Care. The second panel, Implementation of the right to “informed choice”, will focus on the challenging implementation of the right to informed choice in cross border healthcare and on how different stakeholders could/should collaborate to guarantee citizens’ friendly information on treatment options, availability, quality, safety and prices of healthcare.

In the afternoon, Active Citizenship Network will present an overview of “The patients’ involvement in health policies in Europe,” a report covering European healthcare laws, experiences, obstacles and good practices regarding the general areas of patients' involvement, such as planning, decision-making, implementation and assessment, with a focus on participative policies in cancer care.

For more information about European patients’ rights, the 7th European Patients’ Rights Day and ACN, please visit www.activecitizenshipnetwork.net.

About Active Citizenship Network
Located in Rome, Italy, Active Citizenship Network is the international partner of the Italian citizen advocacy group, Cittadinanzattiva. ACN’s mission is to promote and support citizenship participation in policy-making in areas such as health, corporate social responsibility, education and training.

CONTACT:        Alessandro Cossu, a.cossu@activecitizenship.net, +39.3483347608