Providing emergency medical care (New Eurohealth issue)

Providing timely emergency medical services for life-threatening situations as well as urgent care appropriate to patients’ clinical needs are the most enduring challenges facing national health care systems, particularly in light of rising numbers of unnecessary emergency department attendances in many countries. The latest issue of Eurohealth (volume 21, issue 4), which has just been published by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (in which LSE Health is a partner), tackles this issue

The changing role of nursing (New Eurohealth issue)

There is no doubt that the role of nurses has been changing over the past few decades, not only in terms of their evolving clinical and managerial responsibilities but also in terms of their education and training. These processes have been affected in many ways by developments at the European level, not least through directives on the free movement of professionals as well as the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The latest issue of Eurohealth (volume 22, issue 1), which has just been published by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (in which LSE Health is a partner), looks at the changing role of nursing

Health system developments in former Soviet countries

Nearly 25 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union all of the countries in the region are actively engaged in the process of reforming their health care systems, with various degrees of success. The latest issue of Eurohealth (volume 21, issue 2), just been published by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (in which LSE Health is a partner), analyses developments in these countries

Eurohealth Volume 20, issue 2: Health behaviours and incentives

The last decade has seen an increasing interest in some countries of the potential of using behavioural science to inform our understanding and influence policy design. The Eurohealth Observer section kicks off with a look at the fashionable area of applying the principles of behavioural science to nudge populations towards better health and wellbeing. It discusses the growth in popularity of these health nudges and questions the evidence base on their effectiveness and cost effectiveness. It goes on to suggest where these principles may have a role to play in enhancing elements of health promotion and public health policy

Health decentralization at a dead-end: towards new recovery plans for Italian hospitals

The recent introduction by the central government of recovery plans (RPs) for Italian hospitals provides useful insights into the recentralization tendencies that are being experienced within the country’s decentralized, regional health system. The measure also contributes evidence to the debate on whether there is a long-term structural shift in national health strategy towards more centralized stewardship. The hospital RPs aim to improve the clinical, financial and managerial performance of public-hospitals, teaching-hospitals and research-hospitals through monitoring trends in individual hospitals' expenditure and tackling improvements in clinical care. As such they represent the central governments recognition of the weaknesses of the decentralization process in the health sector. The opponents of the reform argue that financial stability will be restored mainly through across-the-board reductions in hospital expenditure, personnel layoffs and closing of wards, with considerable negative effects on the most vulnerable groups of patients. While hospital RPs are comprehensive and complex, unresolved issues remain as to whether hospitals have the necessary managerial skills for the development of effective and achievable plans. Without also devising an overall plan to tackle the long-standing managerial weaknesses of public hospitals, the objectives of the hospital RPs will be undermined and the decentralization process in the health system will gradually reach a dead-end

Bacillus anthracis Secretes Proteins That Mediate Heme Acquisition from Hemoglobin

Acquisition of iron is necessary for the replication of nearly all bacterial pathogens; however, iron of vertebrate hosts is mostly sequestered by heme and bound to hemoglobin within red blood cells. In Bacillus anthracis, the spore-forming agent of anthrax, the mechanisms of iron scavenging from hemoglobin are unknown. We report here that B. anthracis secretes IsdX1 and IsdX2, two NEAT domain proteins, to remove heme from hemoglobin, thereby retrieving iron for bacterial growth. Unlike other Gram-positive bacteria, which rely on cell wall anchored Isd proteins for heme scavenging, B. anthracis seems to have also evolved NEAT domain proteins in the extracellular milieu and in the bacterial envelope to provide for the passage of heme

<i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Secretes Proteins That Mediate Heme Acquisition from Hemoglobin

Acquisition of iron is necessary for the replication of nearly all bacterial pathogens; however, iron of vertebrate hosts is mostly sequestered by heme and bound to hemoglobin within red blood cells. In Bacillus anthracis, the spore-forming agent of anthrax, the mechanisms of iron scavenging from hemoglobin are unknown. We report here that B. anthracis secretes IsdX1 and IsdX2, two NEAT domain proteins, to remove heme from hemoglobin, thereby retrieving iron for bacterial growth. Unlike other Gram-positive bacteria, which rely on cell wall anchored Isd proteins for heme scavenging, B. anthracis seems to have also evolved NEAT domain proteins in the extracellular milieu and in the bacterial envelope to provide for the passage of heme.</p

Health Systems in Transition: template for authors 2019

HiT health system reviews (HiTs) are based on a template that, revised periodically, provides detailed guidelines and specific questions, definitions, suggestions for data sources, and examples needed to compile HiTs. While the template offers a comprehensive set of questions, it is intended to be used in a flexible way to allow authors and editors to adapt it to their particular national context. The current version of the template is the result of a consultation process with HiT editors, previous HiT authors, Observatory National Lead Institutions (NLIs), WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission, and other Observatory partners. Several sections have been reorganized to improve accessibility and clarity for readers, while the design has been greatly improved to help authors and editors in the writing process. The result is a template that is more user-friendly for authors as it now includes clear sign posting for "essential" versus "discretionary" sections as well as indicators for tables and figures. Other new features include: summary paragraphs for all chapters; a revised and extended chapter on performance assessment; and increased focus on public health and intersectorality

Italy: Health System Review

Presentazione e valutazione del sistema sanitario italiano commissionato al CERGAS e al Gemelli di Roma da parte della World Health Organization

Not a Waste: Wastewater Surveillance to Enhance Public Health

Domestic wastewater, when collected and evaluated appropriately, can provide valuable health-related information for a community. As a relatively unbiased and non-invasive approach, wastewater surveillance may complement current practices towards mitigating risks and protecting population health. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater programs are now widely implemented to monitor viral infection trends in sewersheds and inform public health decision-making. This review summarizes recent developments in wastewater-based epidemiology for detecting and monitoring communicable infectious diseases, dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, and illicit drug consumption. Wastewater surveillance, a quickly advancing Frontier in environmental science, is becoming a new tool to enhance public health, improve disease prevention, and respond to future epidemics and pandemics