HPI

Doctors may from now on still prescribe on the prescriptions beside the active substance of the pharmaceutical also its concrete name. Ministry of Health have left this possibility in the proposal of the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals. Some experts think that it is wrong. According to them the patient and system would otherwise save more. Amendment is currently in public comments. But even any possible objections of professional public would not make Ministry to change the way of prescribing of pharmaceuticals. 

Ministry of Health will according to its spokeswoman not do any anti-campaign, which could reduce the price of private health insurance companies. This was the reaction of the Ministry to the statements of the representatives of opposition political party Most-Híd. According to them state would need only a fraction of the total price of health insurance companies to reduce their market price through the campaign. Opposition party also accused the social democrats that by the creation of one health insurance company they are only going to do their business.

Medical Trade Union has started the anti-corruption campaign, which aims to improve the relationship between patient and doctor and to ensure the more transparent environment in the healthcare system. Doctors involved into the initiative will wear the badges with slogan of the campaign (“Thank you, I don´t take bribes”) and they will also be a part of the list on the website of Medical Trade Union, where the patients can find them. Medical Trade Union also gave the Ministry of Interior a proposal for establishment of anti-corruption lines.

Departments of hospital in Vranov nad Topľou are beginning to use the Vacuum Assisted Closure Therapy, which should ensure patients the faster healing of wounds. This method is brand new and was used last week by the treatment of the first patient. This therapy has been recently often used as an active therapy by effective healing of acute, trauma or chronic wounds. Whole system is based on the controlled and localized pressure, which is exerted directly on the wound and accelerates the creation of new tissue.

Ministry of Interior wants to equipe the St. Michal Hospital in Bratislava with the new technology worth € 3.25 million. This results from the preliminary statement published in the Journal of the procurement. Complex delivery of medical technology and equipment for the hospital needs should contain for example the equipment for operation room, operation table for urology and gyneacology, instruments for neurology or infusion stands.

President of Slovak republic, Ivan Gašparovič, has signed the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals, which tightens the supervision over human pharmaceuticals. Amendment to the act approved in July by members of Parliament also implements the changes by the market supervision and penalties by failing to comply with the provisions of the act. It also tightens the requirements for all subjects treating with human pharmaceuticals, especially the holders of human pharmaceutical registration. 

Ministry of Health proposes the changes in pricing of pharmaceuticals brought by last-year pharmaceutical reform made by former Government. As results from the proposal of the amendment to the act on extent and conditions of payments for pharmaceuticals, their price in Slovakia should not be higher than an average of three lowest prices in European Union. This principle affects also the medical devices and dietary supplements. Previously the prices in Slovakia were set by comparing of six lowest prices in EU and according to this average they were determined for the domestic market.

Slovak Medical Chamber likes the project of one health insurance company on the market. Its boss Marian Kollár claims that before this would be introduced, it is neccessary to take several steps. He wants to talk about them at first with Prime Minister Robert Fico and Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská. According to the President of the Chamber the current system of public insurance does not meet the expectations of the society. Slovak Medical Chamber thus according to him supports the introducing of one health insurance company.

Number of beds in institutional health care has been decreasing. At the same time the average treating time and number of days that patient stays in hospital have been decreasing. This information was provided by Peter Bubla from National Health Information Centre. While in 2009 the total number of beds was more than 35 520, in 2010 it was 35 132 and last year only 32 954 beds. Within three years the number of beds thus decreased by 2 566 beds. 

Ministry of Health wants to prevent the human blood or plasma to be collected and exported without processing as a starting material for preparation of transfusion pharmaceuticals for industrial use in pharmaceutical industry. Only residential healthcare institutions and national transfusion service would thus be able to obtain the permission for preparing of transfusion pharmaceuticals. Ministry is planning to enforce this change through the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals and medical devices.