The problem

European decision-makers charged with creating effective policies for health services often like to study what other countries are doing in order to learn from good practice there and to deliver cost-effective services. However, to do this accurately, they need reliable cost comparisons of Europe’s different health systems. Collating and comparing such expenses is a huge challenge – research must identify variations in the cost of treating similar individuals in different countries. All aspects of a health system must be examined to obtain a full picture of the costs and benefits of health care.

Overview:

HealthBASKET will use data from nine Member States that represent various types of health care systems to:

• Describe how different countries define the services they provide by analysing the structure and contents of ‘benefits catalogues’ – or ‘baskets’
• Develop a common framework for the proposed cost comparisons
• Review methodologies that are used to assess costs and prices of services, and identify best practice
• Assess cost variations between and within countries using short case studies that examine both in-patient and out-patient settings

Contribution to policy development:

• HealthBASKET will give the EU’s Public Health Programme useful tools and methodologies which can be used to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of health care interventions
• Project results will feed into activities that seek to promote best practice in the health sector
• It will provide policy-makers with the information they need to understand how people use other national health services

Project deliverables

• Health benefits report for all project member countries – Month 12
• Report into health costs for all project member countries – Month 17
• Draft case studies on in-patient and out-patient care needs – Month 18
• Assessment of services and costs for project member countries – Month 33
• Final report and recommendations – Month 36

Dissemination

• Publish work in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences – ongoing
• Feed information on project into major international health organisations – as necessary
• End-of-project workshop to include external experts from outside the project – Month 36
• Web space on the European Health Management Association website – Month 36

Technical information

Project acronym: HealthBASKET
Project’s official full title: Health Benefits and Service Costs in Europe
Research priority: Health determinants and the provision of high quality and sustainable health care services and pension systems (in particular in the context of ageing and demographic change)
Specific webpage: http://www.ehma.org/projects/default.asp?NCID=112
Proposal/contract no: 501588
Start date: Not available
Kick off meeting: Not available
Completion date: Not available
European Commission scientific officer: José Luis Bilbao Guerrero (jose-luis.bilbao-guerrero@ec.europa.eu)

Coordinator:
Name: European Health Management Association
Abbreviated name: EHMA
Address: Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6
Country: Ireland
Tel: + 353 1 283 9299
Fax: + 353 1 283 8653
Website: www.ehma.org

Partners

Name: Berlin University of Technology
Abbreviated name: TUB
Country: Germany

Name: Bocconi University
Abbreviated name: BOC
Country: Italy

Name: Centre for Health Economics, University of York
Abbreviated name: CHE
Country: United Kingdom

Name: Danish Institute for Health Services
Abbreviated name: DSI
Country: Denmark

Name: Ecole Nationale de Santé Publique
Abbreviated name: ENSP
Country: France

Name: Erasmus University
Abbreviated name: IBMG
Country: The Netherlands

Name: Jagellonian University of Cracow
Abbreviated name: JUMC
Country: Poland

Name: Semmelweis University of Medical Sciences
Abbreviated name: SEM
Country: Hungary

Name: Universitat Pompeu
Abbreviated name: UPF
Country: Spain