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Updated: May 21, 2026
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Published on: February 16, 2011
Identifying barriers to emergency care services
Luk Cannoodt1, Charles Mock, Maurice Bucagu
1General Direction Department, University Hospitals K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. luk.cannoodt@skynet.be
Summary
Financial and non-financial barriers significantly impede access to emergency care services, delaying or preventing life-saving treatment. Addressing these barriers, even with low-cost measures, is crucial for global health equity.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Health Economics
Background:
- Access to emergency care is critical for timely medical intervention.
- Numerous barriers, both financial and non-financial, hinder patient access to emergency services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review published evidence on barriers to emergency care.
- To identify and analyze financial and non-financial obstacles to accessing emergency services.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search using keywords: financial accessibility, barriers, and emergency care services.
- Selection of relevant citations from PubMed.
Main Results:
- Forty articles published over 15 years confirm persistent significant barriers to emergency care.
- Financial barriers are a major factor in delaying or foregoing emergency services in both low- and high-income countries.
- Non-financial barriers also impede timely access, proper arrival at facilities, and adequate treatment.
Conclusions:
- Timely access to emergency care remains a global challenge.
- Low-cost interventions can significantly reduce identified barriers to emergency care.
- An inventory and implementation of cost-effective measures are urgently needed worldwide.
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