For-profit hospitals: do they have a place in Europe?

This article examines the legislative and administrative approach to for-profit hospitals in the 10 member states of the European Community. When considering the hospital legislation of these states one can see that in some Hospital Acts a distinction had been made between for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals. However, there seem to be no clear legal criteria on which this distinction has been based. It is very questionable indeed whether it is at all possible to legally distinguish for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals. The legislative approaches towards for-profit hospitals in the E.E.C. vary from legal prohibition (Greece) to a neutral non-interventional attitude (Federal Republic of Germany, and Ireland). In between those two approaches lie indirect prohibition (Belgium, the Netherlands), regulation through legislation and ethical codes, rhetorical neglect (Italy), cooperation (France) and complete assimilation (Denmark).