Economics & Sociology

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.