European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security

Union Européene de Médecine d'Assurance et de Sécurité Sociale

FOUNDATION

17 March 1972. Orleans, France – Meeting of French Medical Advisers. The French medical director, Dr Claude Persignan and a Belgian observer Dr René Rénard discussed the idea of an organisation of Medical Advisers, of the then existing Common Market countries, to promote scientific and social exchanges between the member states.

12 and 13 October 1973. The Founding Convention, München, Germany. The signatories were representatives of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

1974. The first Congress, Brussels, Belgium. Doctors from Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany.

ENLARGEMENT

1992: UK membership. The UK was formally represented for the first time at the second congress, in Paris in 1976, but it did not become a full member until 1992. Italy was represented again in 1996, and there has been Italian involvement in all subsequent projects.

1996: Membership of the representative organisations of Ireland, Sweden, and Norway, the first non-EU country to join.

1999: Representatives of the Czech Republic and Hungary joined the Council.

2000: Finland

OBJECTIVES

EUMASS-UEMASS coordinates the exchange of information between countries in relation to social insurance medicine. It enables surveys to be carried out in several countries at a time for comparisons to be drawn. Contact through the national representatives on the Council ensures that the best person or group can be identified for enquiries to be made or contacts to be set up.

EUMASS-UEMASS represents social insurance doctors at a European level, not in any political or economic sense, but as a body that is able to generate ideas, initiate studies compare results of work experiences, consider suggestions, and disseminate the information through publications.

EUMASS-UEMASS helps to maintain and improve standards in social insurance medicine. It enables countries to learn from each other's methods and to exchange information on topics of common interest.

EUMASS-UEMASS enables doctors from different European countries to meet, by organising a congress every two years in a different member country.

The international nature of big commercial enterprises and the migration of employees within the European Union, linked to the increased involvement of the private sector in social insurance medicine in some countries, already generates work on international comparisons on medical services. EUMASS gives social security doctors the chance to be involved, and for their opinions and expertise to be utilised.

Control of healthcare expenditure is a role for social security doctors in certain member countries. They need to be kept aware of developments in clinical treatment in all specialities so that they have the necessary skill to monitor treatment programmes.

Disability assessment presents many of the same challenges in social insurance and private insurance medical work. EUMASS encourages links between doctors working for social insurance and private insurance organisations.

STRUCTURE

EUMASS-UEMASS is an association of national organisations of social insurance doctors.

The member countries must be members of the Council of Europe.

Membership is at two levels:

The national organisation seeks membership by formal application to the Council. There is no membership fee, but each country must provide at least one representative to the Council, who should attend at least one Council meeting a year.

Once the application to join has been approved by the Council it is understood that all doctors who belong to the national association are then members and may take part in the various activities.

Special membership is available to occupational physicians, general practitioners, academics, and any others who have an involvement in healthcare costs or disability assessment. This membership is on an individual basis, on application to the Council.

2. The Council

EUMASS-UEMASS is run by the Council that meets three times a year.

The Council chooses its Executive Board for a term of two years. The President provides strategic direction and coordinates the activities of the Council. The Vice-President is responsible for the Congress. The Secretary-General organises the running of the Council.

Each country has up to two representatives on the Council, each of whom may have an official deputy. Decisions have always been taken on the basis of general agreement, but provisions for voting exist in the statutes.

The Council conducts its meetings as far as possible in English and French, though German and Dutch are currently used as well. This variety of languages enhances the spirit of co-operation within the Council.

Meetings of sub-committees and Working Groups take place, which report back to the full Council.

EUMASS-UEMASS has two spheres of interest - DISABILITY MEDICAL ASSESSMENT and HEALTHCARE COST CONTROL. In countries where healthcare cost-control falls outside the remit of social insurance, representatives try to encourage participation of relevant organisations, so that information can still be shared.

Projects are approved by the chairmen of the two Working Groups, who are members of the Council. The full Council agrees the projects each of which is the responsibility of one or more Council members. The Working groups then report to the appropriate Workshop at the next Congress

THE CONGRESS

The themes of each Congress :

1976 - Paris - The cost of health care

1978 - Amsterdam - The problem of Migrant Workers

1980 - Aachen - Alcoholism and sickness insurance

1983 - Bruges - Absenteeism

1985 - Strasbourg - The Medical Adviser and the Clinical doctor

1988 - The Hague - Workplace Rehabilitation and Incapacity for Work

1990 - Bremen - The national organisations of sickness insurance and healthcare

1992 - Tournai - Problems of Healthcare

1994 - Paris - Rationalisation or Rationing

1996 - Veldhoven - Standards

1998 - London - Seeking Common Ground in Training and Assessment

2000 – Gent- Low back pain: Research in Soc. Sec. Medicine: Evaluation in healthcare

2002 – Oslo-

2004 – Lille-Tournai – Scientific and Practical Aspects of European Medicine (Actualités Scientifique et Pratiques en Médecine Sociale Européenne)

2006 – Dublin – The Psychosocial Aspects of Disability and Healthcare (Les aspects psychosociaux de l’incapacité et de la santé)

2008 – Prague-

The EUMASS Congress is held every two years. It is open to all doctors who have an interest in disablement and incapacity, and the control of healthcare costs. The doctors do not have to be members of the national associations. Applications from doctors in other countries are welcomed, and if space permits, will always be accepted, though registrations from member states take precedence

SPONSORSHIP

The congress provides a great opportunity for organisations dependent on medical assessments, or cost control action, for their business, to invest in EUMASS's educational programme, which helps ensure that such organisations receive the high standard of medical skill essential to their commercial success. Sponsors are able to nominate individual topics or speakers, advertise in the programmes, and display promotional material, all of which reaches throughout Europe. There is also the chance, of course, to meet doctors and senior officials from many countries during the congress.

LOGO

Our logo shows Europa sitting on Zeus who, according to legend, disguised himself as a white bull, and persuaded Europa to sit on him before taking her to the land named after her, Europe. In her hand she holds the wand of Apollo, which could heal all wounds. According to legend Apollo gave the wand to Mercury who tested it by thrusting it between two fighting snakes that immediately wrapped themselves round it in perfect friendship and stayed there. This became the ancient symbol of medicine. The logo is in blue and gold, the colours of the European Union.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you require further information please contact any of the members of the Council.