HPI

According to daily Hospodárske noviny from 1/11/2011, President Ivan Gašparovič believes, that the fate of the transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies should be decided by the new government. According to him, the present government should, after the loss of trust, no longer continue in the transformation process. Medical trade unions also urge politicians to cancel the entire process. Minister of Health wants, however, the transformation continuance to be reaffirmed by the decision of current government.

Slovakia will get nearly € 15 million from the European Regional Development Fund for the enhancement of skills of health workers. Non-repayable funds will be allocated to 13 entities, including hospitals, Public Health Authority as well as private medical facility providing comprehensive medical support for athletes. Hospital in Svidník will receive the most of financial resources. Nearly € 2 million will be assigned for education of physicians enrolled in the Department of Radiology.

Ministry of Health did not contact the Ministry of Defense in the context of the mass departure of doctors so far. Slovak Armed Forces may, if necessary, offer dozens of doctors mainly focused on the acute medicine, i.e. anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, surgical departments. By the possible shortfall of 2 400 doctors, however, the capacity of MoD would be insufficient. MoD also cannot provide experts from all areas, for example there are no paediatricians or gynaecologists.

According to assessment made by private health insurance company Dôvera, this year patients were most satisfied with the hospital in Prešov and hospital Šaca in Košice. While the hospital in Prešov won the first place among the faculty hospitals, private hospital in Šaca was the first among the general hospitals. The second best between the faculty hospitals is University hospital in Bratislava, as the third ended the Faculty hospital in Nové Zámky. Hospitals placed on the top positions supposedly got better thanks to the pushing for greater efficiency.

According to daily SME from 28/10/2011 nurses are likely to become involuntary victims of the war between the Ministry of Health and medical trade unions. One of the scenarios, how to deal with the shortage of doctors, is the merging of hospital departments. In this case beside resigned doctors also nurses will have to leave. According to the president of the Slovak chamber of nurses and midwives, patients and nurses are always hostages of the system. She also declares, that doctors should have, as well as sisters, first negotiate with the Ministry of Health.

Digital X-rays was this week installed in hospital in Revúca. Sciagraph or digital X-rays allows doctors an immediate examination. Patients do not have to wait for the chemical processing of light-sensitive film, doctor is able to see the footage of injured place immediately in his computer. Hospital used to have similar equipment in its operation in the past, but it was rented through the disadvantageous contract. According to SME daily, the new device was bought by the hospital and after its repayment will remain in its assets.

According to daily SME from 28/10/2011 companies could save thousands of euros since next year. This should be allowed by the amendment to the Act on occupational safety and health at work. All of the companies currently have to pay for the occupational health services. Since new year it should only be mandatory for the companies, whose employees have hazardous work, namely those in the categories 3 and 4. The occupational health services includes regular preventive examinations as well as supervising of the health environment.

Minister of Finance Ivan Mikloš considers the possible stoppage of transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies for bad and irresponsible step. According to him, refusal of this change would lead to enormous indebtedness of health care system and public finance. The minister said, that transformation of hospitals is one of the most effective tools to reduce costs, inefficiency, waste and theft. Hospitals functioning as a subsidized organization have allegedly problem even to show the amount of their debt.

Patients already suffer for the mass resignation of doctors. Some of the departing physicians are, after the agreement with the hospitals, drawing their leave of absence. Patients are therefore re-booked for the other terms. In the case of real departure of doctors, besides the postponement of the planned operations, the merging of departments or transfer of money to the hospitals, which will provide full health care, will also occur. However, the Minister of Health is convinced, that most doctors, who resigned, will not leave.

Process of hospital transformation into joint-stock companies which already begun could be stopped. Its stopping is one of the most important requirements of the doctors, who have submitted the mass notices. Next Wednesday Minister of Health plans to ask the government to take a clear position. If the government confirms his mandate, he will continue with the transformation. If the government revokes it, he will prepare the transformation agenda for the future government, which will be elected in the early elections in March 2012.