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Service Delivery Systems for Assistive Technology in Europe
Record number: 410
Last update: September 2012
Type of document: Not published
Last update: September 2012
Type of document: Not published
Author: AAATE
Editorial data: Proceedings of the AAATE 2012 International Workshop (Copenhagen, 21-22/05/2012)
Year of publication: 2012
Abstract:
The UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities – among many other things – commits the signing States to enforce appropriate measures to facilitate access to assistive technologies (AT) for those who need them to improve independence in daily life and to participate in society on an equal basis with others. The various AT service delivery systems in Europe differ significantly from each other, in relation to each Country’s disability policy, socio-economic context and history. The experience of service delivery practice suggests that room for improvement exists in each Country, especially in relation to the new challenges brought on by today’s rapidly changing society. Within today’s political climate of budget containment and accountability calling for evidence-based practice, there is an increasing demand for evidence of the cost-effectiveness of any public support system to personal users’ needs. Policy makers and financing agencies need such information to properly allocate resources, control how efficiently they are used, stimulate the market, identify priority areas for research, understand possible wider implications at an overall societal level; professionals working in health care and social services need to know whether their AT choices have proved effective within the intervention program, useful for the client, and efficient in using resources; users and user organizations require to be fully involved in decision making processes and bring their expertise in this discussion. It is probably impossible to design a “perfect” AT service delivery system that is applicable in every country in the EU. However, sharing different experiences and views will greatly help understand to which extent “good practices” could be exported from one country to another, what are the key principles of a today’s “ideal” AT service delivery system, and what roadmaps could be envisaged for a better future.
The UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities – among many other things – commits the signing States to enforce appropriate measures to facilitate access to assistive technologies (AT) for those who need them to improve independence in daily life and to participate in society on an equal basis with others. The various AT service delivery systems in Europe differ significantly from each other, in relation to each Country’s disability policy, socio-economic context and history. The experience of service delivery practice suggests that room for improvement exists in each Country, especially in relation to the new challenges brought on by today’s rapidly changing society. Within today’s political climate of budget containment and accountability calling for evidence-based practice, there is an increasing demand for evidence of the cost-effectiveness of any public support system to personal users’ needs. Policy makers and financing agencies need such information to properly allocate resources, control how efficiently they are used, stimulate the market, identify priority areas for research, understand possible wider implications at an overall societal level; professionals working in health care and social services need to know whether their AT choices have proved effective within the intervention program, useful for the client, and efficient in using resources; users and user organizations require to be fully involved in decision making processes and bring their expertise in this discussion. It is probably impossible to design a “perfect” AT service delivery system that is applicable in every country in the EU. However, sharing different experiences and views will greatly help understand to which extent “good practices” could be exported from one country to another, what are the key principles of a today’s “ideal” AT service delivery system, and what roadmaps could be envisaged for a better future.
Downladable documents:
- Findings of the Working Groups and of the Plenary Discussion File format: pdf (386 KB)
- Workshop photogallery File format: pdf (2,730 KB)
- Renzo Andrich - Information provision as a key to expertise development and user participation: the experience of the EASTIN network File format: pdf (3,131 KB)
- Steve Barnard - Perspectives from the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities File format: pdf (748 KB)
- Anne Christensen - Experience of a system mainly based on a social model: Denmark File format: pdf (155 KB)
- Kevin Cullen - Thematic analysis based on Assistive Technology systems in 6+ countries File format: pdf (610 KB)
- Luc De Witte - Quality indicators of service delivery systems: how to maintain quality in stressed economic circumstances? File format: pdf (102 KB)
- Eero Kyllönen - Assistive technologies in rehabilitation: a view from the European Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation File format: pdf (1,573 KB)
- Klaus Miesenberger, Evert-Jan Hoogerwerf - Networking among stakeholders: perspectives arising within the AAATE and the related networks File format: pdf (1,355 KB)
- Silvio Pagliara - Experience of a system mainly based on a health model: Italy. Overview of the Italian Assistive Technology provisioning system File format: pdf (1,927 KB)
- Gábor Posfái - Experience of a system in transition stage: Hungary File format: pptx (706 KB)
- Ulla-Britt Blomquist, Andreas Richter - The service delivery systems for assistive technology in Sweden: current system and ongoing developments File format: pdf (991 KB)
- Eija Roisko - Communication and technology centre model in Finland File format: pdf (334 KB)
- Dušan Šimšík - Assistive technology services delivery system in Slovakia File format: pdf (621 KB)
- Jan Spooren - Today’s challenges in disability-related service provision File format: pdf (891 KB)
- Bue Vester-Andersen - Implications of the UN Convention on AT service delivery systems File format: pdf (105 KB)
- Aivars Vetra - Assistive technology public distribution system in Latvia File format: pdf (325 KB)
- Workshop programme and abstracts File format: pdf (1,198 KB)
