Cross-border healthcare: A review and applicability to North America during COVID-19

Abstract

Cross-border healthcare is an international agreement for the provision of out of country healthcare for citizens of partnered countries. The European Union (EU) has established itself as a world leader in cross-border healthcare. During the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the EU used this system to maximize utilization of resources. Countries with capacity accepted critically ill patients from overwhelmed nations, borders remained open to healthcare workers and those seeking medical care in an effort to share the burden of this pandemic. Significant research into the challenges and successes of cross-border healthcare was completed prior to COVID-19, which demonstrated significant benefit for patients. In North America, the response to the COVID-19 crisis has been more isolationist. The Canada-United States border has been closed and bans placed on healthcare workers crossing the border for work. Prior to COVID-19, cross-border healthcare was rare in North America despite its need. We reviewed the literature surrounding cross-border healthcare in the EU, as well as the need for a similar system in North America. We found the EU cross-border healthcare agreements are generally mutually beneficial for participating countries. The North American literature suggested a cross-border healthcare system is feasible. A number of challenges could be identified based on the EU experience. A prior agreement may have been beneficial during the COVID-19 crisis as many Canadian healthcare institutions-maintained capacity to accept critically ill patients.

Pollution free UV-C radiation to mitigate COVID-19 transmission

“…Therefore, it can be a threat issue at any time in several countries. If the technology is developed to stop the contamination of such kind of viruses, then it will help the country to avoid major impact on economy, health and security (Ferdib-Al-Islam and Ghosh, 2022; Glass et al, 2022 , Pensini and McMullen, 2022 , Shin et al, 2022 ).…”

Inter-Regional Patients’ Migration for Hospital Orthopedic Intensive Rehabilitation: The Italian Experience

“…In fact, the growth in globalization, the development of new forms of political cooperation, technological evolution and refinement, and a growing international market for medical care are key factors for the rise in patients’ movement across international borders [ 3 ]. This is best exemplified in the European Union due to the Directive on cross-border migration, which has promoted the free movement of patients between member states [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. In addition, the European Union actively supports its citizens, who seek cross-border healthcare, by providing information through brochures, fact sheets and specialized contact points [ 7 ].…”

The challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to health systems exposed pre-existing gaps

“…Glass et al explore the possibilities enabled by cross-border agreements in the EU model and their applicability in the North American context. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors explore the potential benefits and challenges of such agreements for both patients and healthcare systems and open the door for long-term cooperative policy planning [15] .…”