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Madrid, 2011-September the Organization Medical College (WTO) has been sent to the Directorate-General for internal market of the European Commission (EC) their contributions to the green paper to upgrade the professional qualifications directivewhose objective is to facilitate professional mobility as a key element of competitiveness in Europe.

In particular, has responded to those questions affecting the medical profession and the professional organizations, stressing the need to be recognized as the competent authority, the inclusion in the system of of the internal market information (IMI), medical card, the proficiency to practise in another Member Statecommunication of sanctions, training requirements and the recognition of certificates of third countries.

The European Commission is particularly concerned by the shortage of health workers, estimated at one million, and it has been proposed to carry out, together with the Member States, actions to improve the management of the mobility of these professionals through a strengthening of their policies of labour and the mechanisms of planning.

Consideration of organizations such as competent authorities

For the WTO, professional organizations should be considered at the European level as competent authorities giving them access to IMI so as to not be excluded from the processes of recognition with the legal uncertainty that would result. In keeping with the services directive, its relevant role in the performance of functions such as accreditation, control of good professional practice of the fulfilment of professional ethics and deontology, the recertification, etc., must be regulated in terms of qualifications and given expressly, the character of competent authorities for the purpose of the recognition of qualifications.

Card of health care provider to collegial as universal, secure and reliable health services access key

There can be no e-health without card registered medical practitioner. This card, digital certificate and electronic signature guarantees professional identification carrier, not only of their specialties, but in the very near future of skills based on a mapping of knowledge and experience base of career development.

With a medical card based on digital certificates that allow the professional electronic signature can and must aspire to turn insecure networks of access and exchange of health information, today, in a completely secure cross-border element, for while it favours the interoperability of information systems between autonomous communities with both the countries of the EU.

Development of a European health professional card

It is essential to the development of the European card of the health professional as a guarantee of the appropriate qualification of professionals practicing in the countries that make up the EU. This certification must be dynamic and time-stamp, and so the electronic certification with professional attribute and recognized electronic signature is essential.

Access to information and on-line recognition

Professional organizations should be equated to other sources of information already consolidated in the EU such as the national points of contact (PNC), and the EC network problem-solving (SOLVIT) online, through the creation of portal accessible via the Internet to provide relevant and up-to-date information on the process of recognitionas administrative information on competent authorities and the documents to be submitted by professionals to obtain recognition of their qualifications.

Certification of professional qualifications

Communication of sanctions is one of the key issues for the medical profession by the consequences for the patient safety and public health. It is not conceivable nor acceptable that a doctor can get a certified electronic signature attesting you as a doctor without the intervention of his college, and even less on media to different corporate medical card. Allow this possibility leads way inexorable increase in fraud in the form of intrusion and loss of control, which has just always impacting the patient.

Proficiency

Linguistic competence is crucial for the integration of a professional in another country, guarantee the quality of services and protect the safety of consumers and patients. This objective is fulfilled through the prior accreditation, where appropriate, knowledge of the language of the co-official languages country and through professional practice or additional training periods.

Continuing professional development

A framework should be developed general competences that is not limited to each State to develop their programs longer than a system of minimum, which only takes into account the time of formation, moves away from the spirit of medical education and the European space of higher education. New models of organization, management and evaluation have given rise to the concept of continuous training has been replaced by continuous professional development, so it is necessary to define such a concept to facilitate harmonization among Member States and defining its objectives should be: maintain and improve the professional competence; ensure the quality of performance; recognize individual effort in the maintenance of competition; and recognize the skills and adapting to new demands and needs.

Regulation of the conditions for recognition/approval of foreign degrees

The need of labour should be subject to the approval and certification of qualifications of third countries, for the quality of the health system and, above all, for the safety of patients. It must therefore be a requirement and a guarantee that the person concerned not only documentary demonstrates the equivalence qualitative and quantitative acquired training abroad, but in any case to verify that such training has resulted in the acquisition of skills inherent to the professional practice of the specialty that corresponds, before proceeding to their recruitment or access to the labour market.