State hospitals in Slovakia are approaching collapse
Without correctly set pricing in healthcare state hospitals are approaching collapse, healthcare is becoming unaffordable for patients and doctors are working in unsuitable conditions.
According to the press release of the Health Care Supervision Office (ÚDZS), these are the consequences of the current payment system of health insurance companies, regardless of their actual performance.
The fastest solution
The office analyzed a reliable insurance company confirming the safety of state and four private hospitals for 2020. From the results of the analysis, reimbursements from health insurance companies on average include 71 percent of state and 92 percent of private hospitals. Reimbursements from insurance companies in state hospitals cannot even cover wages and consumed purchases.
The Office proposes fair pricing as a system solution as quickly as possible, i.e. the DRG reimbursement mechanism. In the interim period until its launch, he proposes a transitional reimbursement mechanism that will ensure income at least up to the limit of economically justified costs.
According to the office, Slovakia is a current EU country that does not use the DRG system and does not regulate prices when paying for institutional healthcare.
As described by ÚDZS in the activity report for last year, economy in healthcare can only be ensured by transparent and fair pricing of the provided health services according to the diagnoses, by including them in groups with similar medical course and economic costs.
These should cover the personnel costs of all health workers, necessary for the treatment of diagnoses, overhead and investment costs and the total profit.
This pricing is known by the abbreviation DRG (Diagnosis Related Group). “For comparison, the Czech Republic has been using the DRG system for inpatient healthcare since 2006,” reminds the office in the report.
Fragile system
The Slovak Medical Chamber (SLK) can also evaluate doctors in Slovakia. It closely monitors available information about the negotiations of the Medical Trade Union (LOZ) with the Ministers of Finance and healthcare under the management of the Prime Minister.
As an umbrella state organization in Slovakia, it has been consistently meeting the demands of doctors for the evaluation of doctors for a long time and has been supporting the increase of salaries of medical professionals for a long time.
SLK is convinced that the very solution to the salaries of one category of hospital doctors to stabilize the staff and avert the deteriorating situation in healthcare it cannot and will not be enough. It is stated in the press release of the SLK Council.
source: Unsplash/Sasun Bughdaryan
The SLK Council proposes systemic changes in the entire department. He mainly points to the insufficient level of payments for state insured persons, the restoration of not only two state hospitals or the stabilization of the network of general and specialized clinics.
Furthermore, I am asking for comprehensive support for ambulances during the energy crisis. It requires the stabilization of the number of doctors and other health professionals with an analysis of the current situation, but also a forecast for the coming years.
The Council of the SLK considers that radical changes in the education system are necessary, especially for doctors of higher grades and nurses.
It also emphasizes the solution of investment debt in healthcare and setting real prices for the provision of health care so that they cover all costs for the operation and development of hospitals and clinics.
SLK developed and presented the Concept in June healthcare in SR. “We have repeatedly requested a meeting with the Prime Minister, so far without success,” SLK stated.
As the representatives of the doctors added, finishing with the patience of health workers and pushing back complex solutions will soon have serious effects on the functioning of the fragile system.
Source: SITA