ABSTRACT
Technological advances in medical care and sophisticated hospital care have contributed to a dramatic rise in expenditure on health care in Europe, yet increased spending on health care, technological developments and greater research have not improved the health of the European people as much as might have been expected. In addition to costs incurred by the health service, it is also necessary to take into account costs borne by families. Continuity of care requires teamworking. For teamwork to be effective, there needs to be a shared vision of care and the development, and use, of a care management protocol which recognizes and utilizes resources effectively. In Germany, for example, there are many gynaecologists in private practice; most women attend a gynaecology practice for their antenatal care and then go to hospital for delivery. The Europe wide information system for the disabled forms a direct contrast to E ZOOT.
