In Europe, patient and care consumer mobility is starting to become a visible outcome of the European project: It offers the opportunity to access care not provided in your home country (or within a reasonable time frame). Likewise it improves choice to the consumer regarding providers and therapies. Mobility puts the healthcare systems under a healthy pressure to cope and deliver. Well-visited hospitals/service providers evidently have something to teach others. So there are lessons to learn from cross-border care. But reimbursement arrangements, outcomes measurement and systems transparency are key functions in modern consumer mobility markets and questions around these topics need answers.

The Commission aims at answer some of these questions by bringing forward proposals for Community action on health services. The first step is taken by consulting all stakeholders involved in the health services sector, on the basis of a specific consultation document. The Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP) views the cross-border developments as positive and worthy of support so we appreciate having had the opportunity to take part in the European Commissions consultation on Health Services.

Please find our answer here.