Palestinians have relied on referrals to hospitals abroad to seek healthcare for over 70 years, and the Palestinian health system has relied on such outside medical referrals of patients whose care is not available locally since its establishment in the 1990s. The current genocide in Gaza as well as severe military escalation in the West Bank have caused the collapse of the health system in Gaza and severe disruptions of health services in the West Bank. Tens of thousands of people have also been injured, requiring care that is not available locally in Palestine. Therefore, it is anticipated that the Palestinian health system will continue to rely heavily on outside medical referrals in the foreseeable future, and that Egypt and Jordan (two common destinations for referrals for decades) will receive the majority of Palestinian patients. My PhD will use the ‘therapeutic geographies’ theoretical framework and deepen its understanding in the Palestinian context by exploring the health and social impacts on Palestinian patients referred to Egypt and Jordan. This will be done mainly through qualitative work with patients and their families as well as Palestinian health providers to understand their experiences with the referrals.
