The authors have gathered cases studies from the EU 25 Member States in order to point out the challenges and benefits arising from patient mobility in Europe. These include arrangements between old and new Member States, needs of long-term residents, mass tourism, use of centres of excellence, hospital cooperation, cross-border contracting, capacity sharing.
Within each case study, the project aims to highlight the scale and nature of mobility, the causes, the facilitating or hindering factors, and the impact on healthcare systems.
The project complements the recently formed High Level Group on Health Services and Medical Care, and echoes the recent European Court of Justice case on the issue.
Besides, it is worth noting that the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection has announced that they will start working on a future initiative on health services.
Findings and Recommendations
The collection of case studies shows that mobility of patients across Europe’s borders is a rather marginal phenomenon as most patients prefer to be treated as near to home as possible.
However, when it happens, it entails large expenditures within health care systems because of the extra costs incurred for transport, accomodation and the cooperation between providers.
The authors argue that there is a need for a common understanding on certain issues in order to fully benefit from patient mobility and point out the following principles:
First of all, patient mobility must be managed: relying on market forces is not an option.
Trust - Purchasers must be able to rely on common standards. The authors therefore call for the establishment of European mechanisms to ensure adequate standards health care quality across the EU.
Clearly defined specific arrangement supporting mobile patients (ie for transports, language, accompanying persons)
Integration of patient mobility into larger forms of cooperation
Necessity to establish prices set in a manner that is transparent and which minimizes perverse incentives and distortions of the market.
Establishment of clear criteria to define which patient is entitled to go abroad specifically to obtain treatment by the competent authority.
The right to treatment abroad should be consistent with what is included in the benefit package of the Member State that funds the care.
The Europe for Patients research project
Funded by the 6th Framework Programme for Research, the project objectives are twofold:
Understanding the legal framework in which patient mobility takes place (contracting arrangements, systems in place to ensure quality of care and information to patients)
A series of detailed case studies on cross-border care (resulting in the above mentioned publication)
On the 26-27 October 2006, the final conference presented the research findings and recommendations in Ghent (Belgium) and discussed some of the main findings.
Registration and more information at http://www.europe4patients.org/conference
Related articles and links:
Commission launches new initiatives for cooperation on healthcare
Environment Committee considers draft report on patient mobility
