Boosting cross-border cooperation for health: initiatives from Lower Austria

Examples of cross-border cooperation in health care, illustrated in a new publication by the WHO Regions for Health Network and the Lower Austria region, show that it is possible to develop solutions that address people's concerns by providing new services, especially in rural or border areas.

Approximately 1 in 3 European citizens lives in a cross-border region. These regions often share common economic, cultural and social ties, making it possible for people to seek health-care services across borders when they need it. Community health also plays a fundamental role in this process.

The new publication updates the 2018 report "The Healthacross Initiative: how Lower Austria is boosting cross-border collaboration in health". It highlights successful strategies developed and implemented by Lower Austria in partnership with neighbouring countries, focusing on the gradual provision of outpatient care and the exchange of medical expertise in 4 border regions.

The Healthacross Initiative

The Healthacross Initiative in Lower Austria has fostered partnerships with regions in Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia to improve access to health care across their shared borders. Direct links between new networks on either side of the border make it possible to achieve the primary goal of equalizing the provision of medical care on both sides.

These networks allow regions to learn from each other's successes and avoid duplication of effort. Collaboration between Lower Austria and Czechia, for example, has created strategic possibilities for cross-border cooperation on hospital-related matters. It has also provided the opportunity to discuss issues of common concern, such as population ageing, and to identify innovative approaches to dealing with demographic change.

Intercountry cooperation strengthens resilience, which in turn ensures a faster, more effective response to health crises and promotes the shared use of resources and medical knowledge. Cross-border collaboration addresses gaps in services and expertise, and ensures equitable access to health care, especially in border regions where people often face challenges in accessing adequate care.

The key enabling factors for cross-border cooperation include knowledge on the context and issues to be addressed, stakeholder involvement, citizen participation, and the implementation of cooperative projects to address bottlenecks.

Enhancing cross-border collaboration can improve accessibility to health care, reduce disparities and strengthen the overall health outcomes of the populations in border areas. The latest publication was presented by Dr Bettina Menne, WHO Healthy Settings Coordinator, during the European Health Forum Gastein 2024, the theme of which was "Shifting sands of health: democracy, demographics, digitalization".