How does it work?
Access to healthcare abroad
EU citizens have the right to receive healthcare in another Member State. This may include planned treatments—such as diagnostic examinations or surgery—as well as unexpected situations, including illness or accidents.
Depending on the applicable national and EU rules, part or all of the treatment costs may be reimbursed by the patient’s home country. Certain planned treatments may require prior authorisation before travelling abroad.
Health data can travel too
Cross-border healthcare is not only about physical access to medical services. It also includes the secure electronic exchange of essential health information through MyHealth@EU, supported by the participating countries’ National Contact Points for eHealth (NCPeH).
Two important cross-border digital health services are the Patient Summary and the ePrescription/eDispensation service.
Availability of the services
The Patient Summary and ePrescription/eDispensation services are being introduced gradually across the European Union.
They can only be used when both the patient’s home country and the country where healthcare or pharmacy services are provided are connected and operational for the relevant MyHealth@EU service.
Patients should therefore check the availability of the service in the relevant countries before relying on it while travelling.
Simpler, safer and more transparent care
The aim of cross-border healthcare is to ensure that citizens who travel, work, study or spend an extended period abroad can access safe and high-quality healthcare.
Secure access to essential health information can help healthcare professionals make faster and better-informed decisions. Cross-border ePrescriptions can also make it easier for patients to continue regular medication while staying in another EU country.
These services can:
- improve patient safety
- reduce language-related misunderstandings
- support continuity of care
- reduce reliance on paper documents
- make essential health and prescription information available more quickly
Cross-border healthcare is supported by EU legislation, including Directive 2011/24/EU on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, as well as by shared European technical, security and data protection standards.
Stronger patient rights
EU citizens have the right to:
- receive clear information about healthcare options abroad
- choose to access treatment in another Member State, subject to the applicable conditions
- benefit from transparent reimbursement procedures
- receive information about the quality and safety standards of healthcare providers
- have their personal and health data protected
- access available cross-border digital health services securely
- receive information about whether Patient Summary and ePrescription services are available in the relevant countries.