Potentials of the cross-border integration of emergency medical services in Hungary

Abstract

The study aims to analyse the territorial aspects and legal-administrative background of the cross-border terrestrial emergency medical services along the borders of Hungary, in addition, to articulate proposals in order to contribute to a more economical and more efficient, high-quality emergency health care system through cross-border integration. The paper points out the factors which make the free movement of the EMS vehicles reasonable across the borders and introduces the related policy improvements on European level. Then, it models and analyses the territorial aspects and potentials of cross-border ambulance services and emergency hospital care at the theoretical level, based on existing territorial optimisation methodologies by using the QGIS OSS route software. As a result, regarding the territorial pattern of ambulance and hospital emergency care services along the borders, it seems that there are such complementarities and duplications in the system, which makes the cross-border integration of EMS reasonable on the long run. Therefore, in the second part of the study, the practical side of organizing cross-border emergency health care is in the focus. The conditions of cross-border rescue service were analysed through thematic approach, including topics such as conditions for crossing the border, operating licenses, use of distinctive signs, professional cross-border cooperation from rescue alert to patient hospitalization, communication and financial factors. Regarding the legal background, in Hungary no such regulation is in force which directly prohibit the free movement of EMS vehicles across borders, however the ease of the existing legal instruments seems to be necessary both on European and national level. In addition, bilateral agreements are also required to clarify the details of cooperation. It also became clear that the modification of the regulations alone is not enough in order to establish the conditions for cross-border EMS activity, there is also a need for the implementation of policy-based measures. As a consequence, the legal obstacles require cooperation and problem-solving intention at high political level between the neighbouring states, while for policy cooperation the involvement of professional bodies is reasoned.