Committee Chairman Prof. Dr Dusan Milisavljevic said that the purpose of the presentation of the study results is to gain insight into the healthcare system in Serbia in order to define the necessary steps toward its improvement.

The results of the Euro Health Consumer Index 2013 study were presented by EHCI project Chief Operating Officer, Arne Björnberg. He said that the EHCI report is prepared based on public statistical data, patient surveys and independent research conducted by the Health Consumer Powerhouse. This year’s edition of the Index ranks 35 national health care systems in Europe according to 48 indicators covering six major spheres important for health care beneficiaries: patient rights and information, accessibility (waiting times for treatment), outcomes, range and reach of services provided and pharmaceuticals. The 2013 index introduces a new sub-discipline – prevention, with eight new indicators. The 2013 results place the Netherlands at the top of the list as the country with the best quality of healthcare, with Serbia coming in last. The recommendation to states wishing to improve their healthcare system is to introduce the principle of increased transparency, meaning to publish data on the quality of hospitals and the work of the medical staff, added Arne Björnberg.

Minister of Health Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic spoke of the healthcare system in Serbia, shared the results achieved as well as its flaws and concluded that the existing situation should be used as a guideline for systemic action on improving healthcare.

The participants of the Committee sitting pointed out the flaws of the healthcare system, focusing on patients treated for rare diseases, perception of corruption in Serbian healthcare and the functioning of the centralized public procurement system. The participants’ questions also concerned the work of the advisors working on the protection of patients’ rights and the waiting lists for patients suffering from malignant diseases.

Dragan Ilic, Director of Milan Jovanovic Batut Public Health Institute, Dr Miljana Grbic, Head of the World Health Organisation office in Serbia, Michel Saint-Lot, Director of UNICEF Serbia, representatives of patient rights protection associations and associations of parents of children suffering from rare diseases, representatives of Serbian healthcare institutions, international organisations and Committee members Prof. Dr Zoran Radovanovic, Mirjana Dragas and Committee Deputy Chairperson Ljubica Mrdakovic Todorovic took part in the debate.

The sitting was chaired by Prof. Dr Dusan Milisavljevic, Committee Chairman.