EHFCN joins the 'international fraud prevention month'
EHFCN joins the international initiative of fraud prevention month which is taking place in March 2011. The message we want to send out with our awareness campaign is that we all pay the price of healthcare fraud. The aim of the campaign is to alert, inform or remind people that we all bear the consequences of healthcare fraud and corruption.
Every year, money is lost on fraud and corruption in the healthcare sector. Money that could be better used for other purposes, such as improving healthcare systems, infrastructure, education and other health services. Losses to fraud and corruption in the healthcare sector affect patients, healthcare providers, decision makers and ultimately every single citizen.
As resources are drained from health budgets through fraud, less funding is available to pay salaries of healthcare providers and fund healthcare services and equipment. This in turn leads to de-motivated healthcare staff and lower quality of care, and a reduced availability of services, treatments and care to the detriment of every patient. In the end, every citizen will have to pay higher premiums.
The initiative, which is run by the international Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, is also run by our counterpart in Canada, the Canadian Health care anti-fraud association.
Although we realise that this is very short notice (we are trying our best in a small office!) we do hope that our members and all our readers will help us spread the word.
Information material and visuals will be made available in the coming week, so check your emails and the EHFCN website. We are also preparing a facebook community page which we hope you all join – don't hesitate to give us your input!
