Medical Cooperatives in International Practice: Traditional and Innovative Approaches

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of healthcare cooperatives, which occupy a significant place among non-profit organizations in many countries around the world. It is established that such cooperatives effectively combine market mechanisms with social objectives on the basis of democratic governance and collective ownership. The relevance of the topic is driven by the intensification of structural problems in the healthcare sector, including rising healthcare costs, uneven territorial access to medical services, shortages of medical personnel, and the increasing pace of digitalization. The article systematizes international experience in the development of healthcare cooperatives. It is emphasized that approximately 3,300 such economic organizations currently operate in more than 76 countries worldwide, providing access to healthcare services for about 100 million households. Traditional models of healthcare cooperatives are analyzed using the examples of social and professional cooperatives in Italy, integrated cooperative systems in Spain, cooperative health centers in France, purchasing and service cooperatives of physicians in Germany, health insurance cooperatives and rural hospital networks in the United States, as well as cooperative healthcare organizations in Canada, Argentina, and India. Particular attention is paid to innovative forms, namely Health Data Cooperatives, which already operate in several European countries and combine cooperative principles with digital technologies, ensuring patients’ control over personal data and their use in scientific research. Healthcare cooperatives are classified according to the type of participants (physicians, patients, communities) and functional purpose (service provision, insurance, procurement, data management). It is substantiated that healthcare cooperatives contribute to cost reduction, the development of preventive medicine, reinvestment of profits, and the strengthening of social cohesion. Based on the generalization of international experience, recommendations are formulated regarding the possibilities of adapting cooperative models within the healthcare system of Ukraine, which fully corresponds to the country’s state policy.