What data are included in EU I.Q.?
EU I.Q. is comprised of four different databases:  the European Surgical Procedures (ESP) Database, the European Hospital and Physician (EHP) Database, the European Surgical Diagnostic Procedures (ESDP) Database, and the International Hospitals Directory and Database (IHDD).

The ESP Database captures the latest available data on inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures performed in public and private hospitals in France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Unlike the United States, Europe has few, if any, procedures performed in alternative settings such as freestanding ambulatory surgery centers or physician offices. In 2007, TforG added trending and forecasting to the ESP Database, which is now called the ESP Database Plus^TF: 2004 to 2009.

The EHP Database provides the latest national statistics and key hospital and physician data for each country in Europe, including population statistics, gross domestic product, health care spending, number of hospitals, average length of stay, total number of hospital beds, emergency rooms, operating rooms, recovery beds, ICU beds, ambulances, dialysis centers, nursing homes and total number of physicians by specialty. Data are currently available for: Group 1 countries, which includes Spain, Holland, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg; Group 2 countries (Denmark, Norway, Finland, Austria and Switzerland); Group 3 countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia), and Emerging markets, Middle East and Africa (Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and The Republic of South Africa).

The ESDP Database captures the latest available data on inpatient and outpatient surgical diagnostic procedures performed in public and private hospitals in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. This includes a wide range of biopsies, endoscopic procedures (e.g., colonoscopy, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy) and other common diagnostic procedures (e.g., cardiac catheterizations, amniocentesis).

The IHDD provides the most complete listing of acute care surgical hospitals in key markets throughout the world.  For each country, the database lists contact information (telephone, address, fax, if available), number of beds, hospital type, and a rating of medical equipment availability (low, medium, premium) for all public, private, university, military and public trust hospitals throughout Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland and South Africa.

How are the data delivered?
EU I.Q. data are delivered to customers in an Excel worksheet via e-mail or CD.  The file integrates all procedure volumes, sources and methods by country (see sample data for ESP Database Plus^TF, ESDP, EHP, or IHDD).

Why purchase EU I.Q. from Medtech Insight?
Anyone who’s ever conducted a market analysis of Europe knows how time-consuming, difficult and expensive it is to collect, integrate and compare healthcare data from different countries.  Differences in language, inconsistent methods of reporting, varying availability of healthcare data and a lack of standardization all present challenges to identifying and forecasting market opportunities across the European Union.

With EU I.Q., we have done all the hard work for you.  EU I.Q. integrates disparate data collected from public and private sources, national organizations and primary research, standardizes it and validates it for comparison using industry experts in each country.  Together these methods provide standardized healthcare information that is unparalleled, updated annually and comparable across the European Union.  Our partner, TforG, a highly respected European consulting firm, has been carefully compiling, developing and refining these data over the last 10 years.  As a result, EU I.Q. is the most comprehensive and accurate European Healthcare Data available to the medical products industry today and is available only through Medtech Insight, the exclusive distributor of these data.

How often are the data updated?
The ESP and ESDP data are updated annually and released between May and August, depending upon availability of new data from government sources. The EHP database will be expanded in 2008 to include other emerging countries.

Will I have direct access to talk to an analyst if I have questions about the data?
Yes.  We stand behind our data and offer customer service that is second-to-none.  Medtech Insight sales and product managers are available to personally assist you and TforG analysts are available in each country to answer any additional questions pertaining to the data.  Contact your sales executive or send an e-mail to databases@medtechinsight.com.

What is the most recent year available?
The ESP Database Plus^TF: 2004-2007 reflects actual 2005 and 2006 data from France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain and three year forecasts for 2007, 2008 and 2009. The ESP Database Plus^TF: 2004-2009 reflects actual data from 2004, 2005, and 2006 and forecasts for 2007, 2008 and 2009. The 2007 EHP release reflects data reported between 2004 and 2006 for Group 1 and Group 2 countries. The 2006 ESDP release reflects 2005 data from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. IHDD reflects 2006 data from Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland and South Africa.

What research methods are used to collect the data?
Specific research methodologies are available for each country and each EU I.Q. product.  Please review the ESP Database Plus^TF Methodology, the European Hospital and Physician (EHP) Database Methodology, the European Surgical Diagnostic Procedures (ESDP) Database Methodology, and the International Hospitals Directory and Database (IHDD) Methodology for specific questions regarding sources and methodology by country.

What coding system is used to define surgical procedures in the ESP and ESDP databases?
All procedural coding is based on the ICD-9-CM system.  In order to make procedures comparable across countries, procedural descriptions from other countries were identically matched to the ICD-9-CM procedural descriptions.

About TforG

TforG is a highly respected European consulting firm.  TforG has carefully compiled, developed and refined this set of data over the last 10 years, using industry experts in each country and a combination of public and private sources, national organizations and primary research.  Together these methods provide standardized healthcare information that is unparalleled, updated annually and comparable across the European Union.