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Pharmacists has agreed on the opinion, that in Slovakia the philosophy of the pharmaceutical services is sheering from the global trend. Act on pharmaceuticals adopted by former government has according to them set the pharmaceutical department in to the role of logistical tool without professional skills. Pharmacists beside other things call for legislative adjustment of pharmaceutical ownership, introducing of mandatory membership in professional organizations in the health care, introducing of demographic and geographic criteria as a one of the conditions for issuing of the permit for providing of health care or legislative ban of pharmacy networks.

Medical trade unionists want on the nearest departmental tripartite negotiation to open the question of preparation of the law, which would solve the remuneration of all health care employees. Slovak Medical Trade Union informed about this intention also the Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská, who has participated on the negotiation of its executive committee. Trade unions allegedly ensured the head of department, that they are supporting the equitable remuneration of hospitals in the form of introduction of DRG system.

Representatives of the Association of Hospitals in Slovakia solved with private health insurance companies the conditions of their contracts from June. Dôvera allegedly expressed the willingness to meet halfway all the contract partners of the association with the aim to ensure the health care for its policyholders. Spokeswoman of Union Health Insurance Company, Judita Smatanová, promised that if € 50 million reserve from state budget will be used for increasing of the payments for state policyholders, Union is ready to transform this money into the contracts with health care providers. 

Checks in hospitals and outpatient clinics are bringing their results. State General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) thanks to them last year saved more than € 203 million. This amount represents 6.5% from total amount, which this insurance company paid to health care providers in 2011. Compared to previous year the controlling activities brought the largest insurance company 20% greater savings. The assessment is based on the control of fulfilling of applicable laws and standards, contract conditions and correct diagnosis and treatment.

In hospital in Vranov nad Topľov the reconstructed Radiological department and three new day care centres – neurological, internal and pulmonary, were put into operation. Providing of health care for patients has this way moved to the higher quality level. Day care centres are adapted to the modern outpatient infusion therapy and patients will thus not have to be hospitalized. 

Bratislava Regional Court in April dismissed the action of Association of Faculty Hospitals in the decision of arbitrator in collective dispute with trade unions, which talks about the increasing of salaries of healthcare professionals in state hospitals. Complaints of hospitals will thus be solved by the Supreme Court. First increasing should have taken place in April, the second one in June. It should be apply on 17 healthcare institutions. According to the arbitrator the requirements of trade unionists for increasing were legitimate.

According to Healthcare Surveillance Authority for now nearly 87.000 people expressed their interest to change the health insurance company from next year. Last year 162.399 applications for the change of heatlh insurance company were submitted, while Authority did not accept 5.068 of them due to varrious mistakes. From January 1st, 2012 thus 157.331 policyholders changed the health insurance company. Most applications last year were submitted to health insurance company Dôvera, followed by health insurance company Union and the least it was in Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company).

Situation in state hospitals is according to the Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská disastrous. As she noted, if there is indebtedness, it is firstly necessary to remove its causes, what would according to her opinion never be made by the planned transformation of hospitals into the joint-stock companies. Debt of healthcare institutions in the scope of state was at the end of last year in amount of € 72.95 million. Most money hospitals owe to suppliers of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Pharmaceutical companies are shifting the clinical examinations of new pharmaceuticals outside of Slovakia, what may threaten seriously ill patients. This was caused by the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals approved at the end of last year. According to it the submitter of clinical examination has to pay not only the costs related to study, like it is in other European countries, but also the costs associated with the treatment of patient during the clinical examination. Threat of clinical examination in Slovakia was also recognized by State Institute for Control of Pharmaceuticals.

Supervision over the pharmaceuticals for people will be tighten. This results from the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals, which was today approved with comments by Government and which, among other things, takes over the Directive of European Union. Legal standard tighten up the requirements for the pharmaceutical registration holders. Compared to the current status it is also added, that prescribing doctors bears the responsibility for therapeutic usage of un-registered pharmaceutical. The proposal will be voted by the Parliament.