INTERMUNICIPAL COOPERATION AS A TOOL FOR STRENGTHENING THE MEDICAL SERVICES PROVISION SYSTEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

Abstract

Background . The article examines the advantages and problematic aspects of intermunicipal cooperation in the field of health care, which should become a powerful tool for improving the quality of the provision of medical services at the local level.

Methods . To achieve the goal of the research, a number of general and special scientific methods were used, namely: methods of analysis and synthesis, abstract-logical method – for studying scientific sources, forming conclusions and defining debatable positions; empirical method – for describing the experience of inter-municipal cooperation; statistical method – to highlight dynamic and structural changes in the process of implementing inter-municipal cooperation in the field of providing medical services.

Results . It is proven that the reform of public administration in the direction of decentralization allowed territorial communities to obtain real rights to independently solve issues of local importance. Sectoral changes, including in the field of health care, became an important basis for the deployment of decentralization processes. At the same time, the increase in rights and responsibilities became a real challenge for many local self-government bodies, which lacked resources, experience, and human resources. Therefore, inter-municipal cooperation, when material and financial resources and management experience are combined, becomes a necessity to provide the population with quality services. The need for consolidation of efforts is especially relevant in the modern conditions of martial law. People's need for medical services is growing, and the real capabilities of territorial communities, on the contrary, are decreasing due to the direct destruction of medical infrastructure, the impact of economic shocks, a decrease in revenues to local budgets, a shortage of medical workers, etc.
It was determined that cooperation between municipalities is an ancient tradition of European countries. Currently, this provision is enshrined in the regulatory and legal documents of Ukraine. The legislator regulated the essence of community cooperation, the basic principles and main forms of its implementation, and defined the procedure for initiating cooperation. The main factors of the deployment of inter-municipal cooperation, advantages and problems of inter-municipal cooperation in the field of providing medical services are highlighted.

Conclusions . The current situation with the conclusion of inter-municipal cooperation agreements in the medical field has been studied. Insufficient activity of local self-government bodies in this area was identified and proposals were developed that would contribute to strengthening the cooperation of territorial communities in the provision of health care services.