The Executive Agency for Consumers, Health and Food (CHAFEA) of the European Commission performed a study into the impact of information on patients’ choice in the context of Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and the Council on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.
The survey was undertaken in eight Member States and investigated what impacts the patients’ choice to seek cross-border healthcare in the EU.
The key drivers of travelling to another country for a medical treatment appeared to be in order of importance:
- Cost of the treatment in the other country relative to the cost of the treatment domestically.
- Waiting time of the treatment in the target country relative to the waiting time in the home country.
- Trust in the healthcare system in the target country compared to trust in the domestic healthcare system.
The majority of responders agreed that the information currently provided on cross-border healthcare is too complex for patients to understand and they need more details and explanations.
You can read the full report here.