3.2 million Euro for cross-border healthcare in northern Netherlands and Germany

Strengthening the cooperation between health system actors in the Dutch-German border region is the goal of the HEALTH4DE-NL project. This initiative, led by the Cross-border Institute of Healthcare Systems and Prevention (CBI), has a total cost of 3.2 million euros. The HEALTH4DE-NL project is being implemented within the framework of the Interreg VI Germany-Netherlands program and is co-financed with 2.33 million euros by the European Union, the Ministry for Federal and European Affairs of Lower Saxony and the provinces of Groningen and Friesland.

With this project, the CBI aims to better connect healthcare structures and promote equal access to healthcare for all citizens in the border region, which is home to approximately 2.8 million people. In addition, the project seeks to improve the cooperation between Dutch and German healthcare institutions so that both healthcare systems are better prepared for future health crises.

‘In this project, we work together for the most vulnerable groups in the border region. We need a 360-degree approach in the health domain with smooth access to healthcare on both sides of the border. So that we create a positive impact on the health of the working population that can contribute to a stronger economy and thus reaching wide prosperity in the region. Our goal is more healthy years for everyone along the Northern Dutch-German border’, said Dr. Adriana Perez Fortis, project leader and scientific coordinator of the CBI on the Dutch side.

The HEALTH4DE-NL project focuses on four main domains

• Establish a cross-border health network, in which healthcare professionals, policymakers, hospitals, Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdiensten (GGD’en), and Gesundheitsämter/NLGA collaborate.

• Analyse healthcare systems and compare them at the regional level, the results form the basis for formulating policy recommendations that promote equal access to care.
• Improve cooperation between public health services, by organising regular meetings and workshops and appointing cross-border contact persons to strengthen communication.
• Engage citizens actively, with a focus on vulnerable groups, through public engagement activities around prevention, self-reliance and community participation, citizens are encouraged to take a more active role in their health.

‘People rightly expect that scarce resources in the healthcare system are used to achieve the maximal positive impact, and, especially, to benefit those most at risk. To this end, we will create the necessary database and talk to those affected. This will enable decision makers to find the best solutions, meeting the needs of people in the region’, explains Prof. Lars Schwettmann, one of the project leaders on the German side and a member of the CBI-board.

Expected results

The project aims to create a strong network of cross-border health initiatives and provide insight into the strengths and opportunities within both healthcare systems. HEALTH4DE-NL will also provide evidence-based policy recommendations to improve the health of residents on both sides of the northern Dutch-German border.

About the CBI and its partners

Founded in 2019, the CBI is a joint initiative of University of Groningen (UG) and Oldenburg (UOL) and their medical faculties. It is coordinated by the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health (incl. UMCG) at UG and the Department of Health Services Research at UOL. Under its umbrella, the participating institutions pool their joint health research in the border region.

The HEALTH4DE-NL consortium consists of the University of Groningen (Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health and Faculty of Economics and Business), the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the University of Oldenburg, GGD Groningen, GGD Fryslân and the Niedersächsisches Landesgesundheitsamt (NLGA).

Further information

For questions or interview requests, please contact: Dr Adriana Perez Fortis - Project leader and scientific coordinator of the CBI in the Dutchside.