Interregional patient mobility, underfunding and the private-public provision of healthcare in Italy

Abstract This paper employs cluster analysis to examine how interregional patient mobility, the level of health funding, and the public-private mix contribute to shaping territorial differences in health services in Italy. The findings indicate that these regional models reflect the country’s longstanding economic divide between the North and the South. Rather than mitigating inequalities in access and opportunity, the current regional healthcare configurations appear to deepen territorial disparities. These results point to the need for more targeted central and public interventions to help reverse spatial inequalities.