Making cross-border care work: the FLASH session at EHFG 2026
Last week the FLASH project took part in the European Health Forum Gastein 2026 in Bad Hofgastein with a dedicated session on cross-border patient mobility. Despite an EU legal framework that allows patients to seek care in another Member State, real barriers remain, from bureaucratic hurdles to price differences between the country of origin and the country of treatment.
About the session
The session looked at what still holds patients back from accessing care across EU borders, combining legal, economic and practical perspectives. The discussion started from FLASH research findings and from a concrete outcome of the project, the legislative change introduced in the Czech Republic. It then moved to the experience of cross-border cooperation in the Gmünd area, the role of price differences for patients and providers, and the idea of updated health values as the basis of a stronger European Health Union. The audience took part through live polls and a Q&A with the panel.
Speakers
- Tamara Hervey, The City Law School (moderator)
- Markus Frischhut, MCI, The Entrepreneurial School
- Adam Ander, Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic
- Florian Lochner, Healthacross
- Jana Votápková, Charles University
- Paolo Pertile, University of Verona
Resources
Thank you to our speakers and to everyone who joined us in the room and online.