OVERVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH COOPERATIVES IN THE TERRITORY OF SERBIA AND MODERN ASPECTS

Abstract

Health cooperatives were initiated in Serbia in the late 19th century, while a fully developed model of modern health cooper atives was in 1921, providing a model for other countries. Today, there are currently very few health cooperatives in Serbia. An initiative was submitted in 2020 to promote their re-establishment and recommend that the government consider public-cooperative partnership forms to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality. Health coop eratives could address challenges in organizing preventive activities, health education, services not covered by health insurance or expensive in private practice, rural health development, reduction of emigration of health personnel, profiling and complication of health services, and development of medical research, among other sectors.