Directive: applying patients' rights in cross-border healthcare

On 2 July 2008, the European Commission published a proposal for a Directive on the cross- border provision of healthcare services in Europe, as part of its Renewed Social Agenda.

The aim of this directive is to codify and clarify the rules that have already been set down by the European Court of Justice on patients' rights to receive healthcare in another European Member State.

The Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare will have a significant impact on the way regions organise, manage and finance their healthcare services. Under this Directive, patients will be able to travel freely to another country and receive treatment there, in most cases without first getting the authorisation of their domestic health system.  This Directive raises a number of questions for the regions, in particular:

→    What will be the impact of patient mobility on the planning, management and delivery of healthcare services?

→    Without a prior authorisation or warning system, how can regional authorities accurately estimate the number of patients they will treat and make the necessary logistic provisions?