METHODOLOGY

The PROCURE methodology has been designed to offer an enhanced understanding of the organisation of the healthcare procurement systems in different European countries as well as the current procurement practices which are the most common in these countries. A detailed assessment of these public and private healthcare procurement practices will be conducted following a dynamic, iterative, and collaborative process.

Our methodology is therefore balanced in terms of standardization and system-specific characteristics/needs.

The methodology which we have adopted includes a phased approach linked to the 3 technical Work Packages and is adaptable to any healthcare procurement system. The 3 Phases are:

  • Phase 1-Observational study in which facts and data collected and transformed in information.

  • Phase 2- Identification and definition of the stakeholders’ preferences, their needs and expectations (Delphi method) in which information is converted into knowledge following a scientific approach that distances itself from subjectivity.

  • Phase 3-Structured dialogue in which the knowledge acquired is the base to determine new strategies for the health procurement systems in order to increase preparedness for future health procurement challenges.

PROCURE will be taken forward in 5 Work Packages. These are detailed below.

WORK PACKAGE 1

Project Management and Coordination

The objective of Work Package 1 is to ensure sound coordination and management of the project covering technical, administrative, legal and financial issues, as well as the relationship with the EC.

Specific objectives are as follows:

  • To monitor the correct technical progress of the project, including timely compliance with milestones and deliverables (as defined in the Grant Agreement) as well as monitoring the quality of the project tasks and activities.

  • To guarantee the financial and budgetary management of the project.

  • To ensure effective communication with and reporting to the European Commission as well as ensure an excellent partnership and cooperation between partners.

  • To produce a Data Management Plan

WORK PACKAGE 2

Observational Study on European Healthcare & Procurement Environment

The objective of the Work Package 2 is to conduct a detailed stakeholders mapping and comparative study of the healthcare and procurement system of each Member State represented in the consortium. This mapping will cover several specific topics:

     i.    The political, economic and geostrategic situation.

   ii.    The structure and governance of the healthcare system.

  iii.    The public procurement system and its links with the public finance management and public governance systems.

  iv.    The regional /national public procurement policy objectives.

    v.    The public procurement main practices in the healthcare sector.

The mapping will draw on accessible information and existing data (i.e., national statistics, national development plans, previous studies/assessments, indices, etc.) but also and especially via a large participative online study/consultation with continuous dialogue among relevant experts within the consortium and their large existing networks in their respective countries. This will help to engage stakeholders as part of the assessment to be done within Work Package 3 and as part of adopters of the implementation plan at national and/or regional level.

For each Member State covered in the study, one procurement organization from the consortium will be appointed as leader to carry out the work in its country, named the “Country Leader”. The Country Leader will be responsible of setting the “Country Node”, to collect information for the Observational Study on European Healthcare. The final result / deliverable will be the Observational Study on European Healthcare and Public Procurement Environment, which will contain the consolidated information for each Member State and the comparative analysis between them.

The Work Package will also gather the opinion and views from the private procurement sector and health care vendors.

WORK PACKAGE 3

Identifying Key Elements For Successful Public Procurement Practices In The Healthcare Sector (Delphi Methodology)

The objective of Work Package 3 is to identify a set of criteria formally agreed at European level, oriented to the assessment of whether a procurement practice has the potential to achieve the results it aimed at given the health context in which it is developed by means of the Delphi methodology. The Delphi process is a consensus technique, widely used in healthcare research that meets the requirements of scientific methods. These elements would facilitate the identification of best practices and the eventual exchange and transfer to other European contexts.

The final goal of this Work Package is identifying the consensual key elements for successful public procurement practices in the healthcare sector as a basis for the debate within procurers and the new or improved strategies on public procurement to be identified under the framework of Work Package 4.

WORK PACKAGE 4

Tailored Recommendations On Best Public Procurement Practices Per Member State

The objective of Work Package 4 is to establish a collaborative structured dialogue between experts, in which, based on the information derived from the Delphi study carried out in Work Package 3, as well as the status of each country/region node in terms of procurement policies and strategies (Work Package 2), a report on new strategies will be generated, together with their corresponding action plan. In addition, taking the European framework as a reference, policy recommendations and new approaches at the EU level will be developed.

WORK PACKAGE 5

Dissemination, Communication, Exploitation and Impact Assessment

Work Package 5 aims to deliver effective and impactful dissemination and communication of the project results. This includes the production of the communication, public and private procurers' engagement and dissemination strategy, the design and launch of the communication tools and the implementation of communication and dissemination activities.

Specific objectives are to:

  • Establish a common approach to all the communication activities and support other Work Packagess and project participants in reaching their goals by engaging with defined target audiences.

  • Raise awareness about the project, its goals and impact among various society groups, stakeholders, and policymakers in different geographical regions.

  • Disseminate the project results, maximize its impact, and demonstrate its findings and achievements at various geographical levels (local, regional, national, European, international) focusing on the organization of a final conference with a European dimension.

  • Ensure project’s sustainability: design the adoption strategy and promote the implementation plans at national and/or regional level.

  • Provide the tools for the future policy evaluation once that the new procurement strategies are implemented.