Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/36923
Title: Impacts and lessons learned of the first three COVID-19 waves on cross-border collaboration in the field of emergency medical services and interhospital transports in the Euregio-Meuse_Rhine: A qualitative review of expert opinions
Authors: Sommer, Anja
Rehbock, Cassandra
Vos, Clara
Borgs, Christina
Chevalier, Sabrina
Doreleijers, Simone
Gontariuk, Marie
HENNAU, Sofie 
Pilot, Eva
Schröder, Hanna
VAN DER AUWERMEULEN, Loth 
Ghuysen, Alexandre
Beckers, Stefan K.
Krafft, Thomas
Issue Date: 2022
Publisher: 
Source: Frontiers in Public Health, 10 (Art N° 841013)
Abstract: Background: In the Euregio-Meuse-Rhine (EMR), cross-border collaboration is essential for resource-saving and needs-based patient care within the emergency medical service (EMS) systems and interhospital transport (IHT). However, at the onset of the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, differing national measures highlighted the fragmentation within the European Union (EU) in its various approaches to combating the pandemic. To assess the consequences of the pandemic in the EMR border area, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects and “lessons learned” regarding cross-border collaboration in EMS and IHT. Method: A qualitative study with 22 semi-structured interviews was carried out. Experts from across the EMR area, including the City of Aachen, the City region of Aachen, the District of Heinsberg (Germany), South Limburg (The Netherlands), and the Province of Limburg, as well as Liège (Belgium), took part. The interviews were coded and analyzed according to changes in cross-border collaboration before and during the pandemic, as well as lessons learned and recommendations. Results: Each EU member country within the EMR area, addressed the pandemic individually with national measures. Cross-border collaboration between regional actors was hardly or not at all addressed at the national level during political decision- or policymaking. Previous direct communication at the personal level was replaced by national procedures, which made regular cross-border collaboration significantly more difficult. The cross-border transfer regulations of patients with COVID-19 proved to be complex and led, among other things, to patients being transported to hospitals far outside the border region. Collaboration continues to be seen as valuable and Euregional emergency services including hospitals work well together, albeit to different degrees. The information and data exchange should, however, be more transparent to use resources more efficiently. Conclusion: Effective Euregional collaboration of emergency services is imperative for public safety in a multi-border region with strong economic, cultural, and social crossborder links. Our findings indicate that existing (pre-pandemic) structures which included regular meetings of senior managerial staff in the region and a number of thematic working groups were helpful to deal with and to compensate for the disruptions during the crisis. Regional cross-border agreements that are currently based on mutual but more or less informal arrangements need to be formalized and better promoted and recognized also at the national and EU level to increase resilience. The continuous determination of synergies and good and best practices are further approaches to support cross-border collaboration especially in preparation for future crises.
Keywords: cross-border;emergency medical service (EMS);interhospital transport;Euregio Meuse-Rhine;collaboration;crisis management;cooperation;EU cross-border mechanism
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/36923
e-ISSN: 2296-2565
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.841013
ISI #: 000777489700001
Rights: Copyright © 2022 Sommer, Rehbock, Vos, Borgs, Chevalier, Doreleijers, Gontariuk, Hennau, Pilot, Schröder, Van der Auwermeulen, Ghuysen, Beckers and Krafft. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Category: A1
Type: Journal Contribution
Validations: ecoom 2023
Appears in Collections:Research publications

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