Walter Ried,

University of Greifswald,

Greifswald, Germany,

walter.ried@unigreifswald.

de

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CROSSBORDER HEALTH CARE: THE CASE OF POLAND AND GERMANY

Paul Marschall,

University of Greifswald,

Greifswald, Germany,

paul.marschall@unigreifswald.

de

Abstract. Cross-border health care enhances the choices of patients but also involves both general and specific barriers which may explain why it currently occurs on a rather small scale. The paper investigates different pathways to cross-border health care, emphasizing barriers at the national level as a driving force. In general, a variety of benefits may accrue, relating to a higher quality of health care, better access or lower costs of provision. For border regions, these benefits will be particularly important. Based on empirical evidence, we argue that cross-border collaboration is the preferable option to improve the provision of health care to patients. For Poland and Germany, the potential benefits are indicated for each pathway, with a focus on the benefits derived from collaboration in border regions.

Received: December, 2015

1st Revision: March, 2016

Accepted: June, 2016

DOI: 10.14254/2071- 789X.2016/9-3/2

JEL Classification: H55, I11,  I18

Keywords: Cross-border health care, Cross-border collaboration, Border regions, European Union.

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