Short presentation of HPRO Card project

MEMO HPRO Card

The objective of this memo is to give an update on the European card for health professionals. This card has been designed by the HPRO Card working group (see model on last page) that gathers representatives of competent authorities for doctors, dentists, midwifes, pharmacists and nurses from member states of all over Europe and which will try and gather, at the end, all competent authorities of Europe.

1.    Background

The European Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications mentioned, for the first time, the need for a European card for the mobility of professionals in Europe. Whereas 32 of the directive states that: « The introduction, at European level, of professional cards by professional associations or organisations could facilitate the mobility of professionals, in particular by speeding up the exchange of information between the host Member State and the Member State of origin. This professional card should make it possible to monitor the career of professionals who establish themselves in various Member States. Such cards could contain information, in full respect of data protection provisions, on the professional's professional qualifications (university or institution attended, qualifications obtained, professional experience), his legal establishment, penalties received relating to his profession and the details of the relevant competent authority. mine the impact of the system for the recognition of professional qualifications. » (whereas 32)

2.    Objectives

The main objectives of the card will be to facilitate the free movement of health professionals in Europe while protecting patients from the small number of professionals that could be subject to severe disciplinary sanctions. In the future, the card could have other possible applications such as validation of continuing education, access to medical records …

The health professional European card will show two sides: one side is national, solely designed by competent authorities in line with local laws, the other harmonized side is European and clearly states the contact details of the competent authorities of the originator country.

In turn, the card will hold some information (on a microchip) which could be used to contact the database of the competent authority of the health professional originating country and to check immediately whether or not the professional is entitled to practice (see proposed architecture below). The European card will still hold all national functions and will still follow the national legislation of the various member states.

 3.    Origin of the  HPRO Card working group

In order to continue its work on the European card, a working group has been created in early 2007. This group is composed by members of each five health professions (Doctors, Pharmacists, Midwives, Nurses and Dentists). They do represent :
-    European wide health professional associations
-    Competent authorities from the five professions listed in the directive originating from different Member states, Candidate countries or from European Economic Area (EEA)

4.    Agreement on the design of the European side

An agreement was reached by the HPRO Card working group in July 2007. This format was officially presented at the European Parliament during a special event in Brussels on October 17th 2007 in presence, in particular, of Mrs Bernadette Vergnaud and Evelyne Gebhardt, two MEPs.

The European side  will be harmonized in all Member states. The name and address of the national competent authority will appear along with the European symbols. The card information will have to appear, at least, in the origin country language and in another language of the European Union. The following information will be mentioned on the card
-    The profession,
-    The logo of the competent authority,
-    The name and contact details of the competent authority,
-    A signature area,
-    A security hologram containing the letters of the country of origin.

The national side only will be different in each country and for each profession following the national regulations. At least, the name and ID of the health professional will appear on the card.


5.    European Grant for HPRO Card working group

While working on the graphical part, the group answered a call for tenders from the European Commission on July 30th, 2007 related to the mobility of professionals in the EU. In late February 2008 the European Commission has decided to give a grant of almost 300 000 euro to the group in order :
-    To identify competent authorities of the health professional listed in the directive in each of the 27 Member states;
-    To study the current state of the art of health professional cards through all European Union;
-    To study the implementation conditions of health professional’s strong authentication;
-    To study the interoperability of the different health professional’s strong authentication system;
-    To communicate on the European health professional card project (HPRO Card)

Using the results of this work, which will be communicated to the European commission, a political decision ought to be taken to improve the implementation of the European health professional card.

6.    Next steps

The next questions to be pursued by the HPRO Card group will be to focus simultaneously on the technical, legal and organisational implementation of the card.

Regarding the technical aspects :
-    Finalization of the specifications;
-    Study and works on interoperability.

Regarding the legal aspects :
-    Follow up on the creation of status for a European entity that may gather on a European level, the competent authorities in charge of the health professionals;
-    Organization, on September 2008, of a constitutive general assembly. The competent authorities and the institutional partners of the professionals of health will be members of such an assembly;
-    Constitution of the board of directors made up of members from the competent authorities and from institutional partners.

Regarding the implementation of the card :
-    Production of a leaflet for the health professionals;
-    Drafting of a white paper regarding the production and implementation of the cards;
-    Communication towards health professionals and competent authorities.

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