Symbiosis and Tension Between Profit and Purpose Across European Healthcare Systems

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-658-6_4How to use a DOI?

Keywords

for-profit actors; health policy; non-profit systems; public-private healthcare; service delivery

Abstract

This paper examines the intricate relationship between profit-driven and purpose-driven healthcare actors within diverse European healthcare systems. It reviews how these entities coexist, identifying distinct patterns that shape their interaction and influence overall system performance. The analysis categorizes European countries into three models: Privately-Integrated Systems, Mixed-Governed Systems, and Public-Led Systems. Key findings indicate that while European healthcare is fundamentally grounded in principles of equity and universal access, the involvement of for-profit actors varies significantly. In Privately-Integrated Systems, stable coexistence is observed where roles and reimbursements are clearly defined and guided by aligned objectives. Mixed-Governed Systems balance access and flexibility through robust regulation and public funding. Conversely, Public-Led Systems, despite limited direct integration, increasingly rely on private capacity in specific areas, raising questions about efficiency and equity. The paper concludes that dynamics are not binary but reflect national priorities, institutional maturity, and policy design, critically shaping how effectively public and private sectors can serve patient-centered outcomes.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Emir Veledar
AU  - Alejandra McGranaghan
AU  - Lejla Trulja
AU  - Peter McGranaghan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/01
TI  - Symbiosis and Tension Between Profit and Purpose Across European Healthcare Systems
BT  - Proceedings of the Kautz Conference on Business and Economics 2025 (KCBE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 50
EP  - 74
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-658-6_4
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-658-6_4
ID  - Veledar2026
ER  -