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Tag: physicians
More than 2 000 doctors will not withdraw their notices even after the talks with Prime Minister Iveta Radičová. Prime Minister and doctors discussed about transformation and growth of wages. They agreed that she will speak to experts to try to find such a form of functioning for hospitals, which would ensure rational and effective management of public finances. In the case of wages Prime Minister pointed out, that she must take into account also other workers in the sector, but savings that the new law on pharmaceuticals will bring, could be possibly moved to the salaries of health professionals.
The strike of the doctors is according to the Minister of Health currently just about the salaries. He noted, that the main requirement of trade unions (to stop the transformation of hospitals) is already fulfilled. He also agrees with further requirements – observance of the Labor code and more financial resources in the healthcare system. Problem remains, however, with the rise of salaries. Trade unionists are requiring the base wage in amount from € 1 250 to € 4 000. Along with the surcharges the salary of the doctor would rise to € 2 000 - € 4 000. Such an increase would cost the state annually about € 200 million, which is, according to Minister, unrealistic for the Slovak economy.
After the transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies the health insurance companies may have even more important word in the field of health care provision, according to etrend.sk. Protest of doctors may help insurance companies to reduce deficiently busy departments and to cancel some beds. If the departure of doctors actually occurs, hospitals will have to proceed in merging of departments and the closure of beds. Provision of health care should be thereby moved to the hospitals and departments, which will be able to provide it and the resources of insurance companies will be focused exactly in these facilities.
According to weekly Zdravotnícke noviny from 3/11/2011 medical trade unionists and doctors have critical comments to the draft law on wages of nurses and midwives. According to them, the intention to guarantee an adequate level of remuneration to only two, albeit very important groups of employees in the sector, is systemless and discriminates the employees of other professions in health care. Slovak Medical Chambre has proposed to withdraw the proposal from the legislative process. Chamber considers unacceptable if there is an isolated claiming by one group of employees.
Doctors did not start to withdraw their resignation notices even after the pressure from hospitals and Ministry of Health. Critical situation in health care provision could thereby occur in next few days, because many hospitals are pushing the doctors to draw their leaves of absence. This is happening despite the fact, that there is no one to replace them and crisis plans of the particular hospital managements count at most with the interference of the departments and sending patients to the other hospitals. Most of them are in the same situation though.
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.
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.
Managements of hospitals and Ministry of Health have prepared the contingency plans for the case of real departure of doctors, who have resigned. However, they will not disclose them at least until the end of October to give doctors a chance to withdraw the notices. Allegedly the most urgent situation is in children̍s' hospitals, and therefore the contingency plans there are very exact. Plans in different hospitals vary, as some doctors are gradually withdrawing the notices.
Private physicians encourage the reduction of opening hours of out-patient emergency operation by 10 pm suggested by the Ministry of Health. In the opinion of Association of Private Physicians this proposal will significantly mitigate the impact of legal obligation to provide emergency services stated for general practitioners and also will positively affect the conditions of operation of emergency posts.
Minister of Health analyzed the trade union's draft bill on salaries of physicians and afterwards informed trade unionist, that law has a number of legislative mistakes. Minister agrees to increase the salaries of doctors, but encourages them to come up with constructive draft bill with real requirements, because this one is supposedly detached from reality. He proposed them to set up an expert group to prepare a clear legislative bill. The trade unionists agreed with this proposal.
