3.6 Other financing

Since Slovakia’s SHI system provides a broad range of benefits and universal coverage, the role of other sources of funding is rather limited. However, all employers must offer an occupational health service for employees working in high-risk environments since 2008 (see also section 2.6).

Furthermore, under the management of the Ministry of Health there are two EU-funded operational programmes. The objective of Operational Programme Health (€250 million) is the improvement of conditions influencing the health status of the economically active and the economically inactive populations. The main strategy is capital investments in hospitals and outpatient facilities (buildings, medical equipment and information technology [IT]). The objective of Operational Programme Education (€36.5 million) is to support the education of health professionals. The strategy is to invest in further education and specific training.

There are also EU structural funds (not under Ministry of Health management) used in health care, such as Operational Programme Information Society (e-health), Operational Programme Employment and Social Inclusion (further education of health care professionals) and Operational Programme Environment (capital investments into heat generation and waste management of health care providers).