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Health services research in Europe: Evaluating and improving its contribution to health care policy

HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES Europe’s health systems face several challenges. One of the most prominent, high on political agendas, is the unstoppable ageing of the population as the current and future citizens of Europe live longer and in better health than before. This trend will increase the demand for health care substantially, with noncommunicable diseases and, in particular, chronic illnesses becoming the main burden of disease. The same demographic developments will affect the available workforce. From 2020 onward, fewer people will be in the working age population, able to ensure our future prosperity. At the same time, the need for European countries to evaluate their health care systems is being fed by the increasing pressure on government budgets, with spending on health care for many, if not all, European countries rising faster than economic growth. These developments contribute to an ongoing debate about how to realize major cuts in health care spending, while still recognizing that effective health care spending is an investment which contributes to the wealth and health of Europe. Health policy and organizational innovations that can help make health care more effective and efficient will be very valuable in the context of an ageing population and increasing cost pressures. The need to find solutions for common health care problems is acknowledged by the European Commission. Its Seventh Framework Programme identified for the first time identified health care systems and services as a distinct area of research under the pillar ‘Optimising the delivery of health care to citizens’. Such activities aim to provide the necessary evidence for informed policy decisions on health care systems.