The Medical Trade Union Association (LOZ) discussed the first point of the memorandum regarding the order in the financing of hospitals at the meeting with the Minister of Health Kamil Šašek (Hlas-SD) on Tuesday. A working group is to be established on the issue. Peter Visolajský, head of the medical trade unions, stated this after negotiations with the minister. According to him, the doctors have not withdrawn the notices yet. They insist that the government solve the problems in the health sector.
“It is crucial for us that this order be fixed, that it is clearly stated what insurance companies pay hospitals for, so that contracts between hospitals and insurance companies are standardized. So that it can be controlled, because that way the efficiency of those hospitals can also be evaluated. When the contract is easily verifiable, comparable between hospitals, we can say which hospital fulfilled its obligations, operated and treated as many patients as it promised or which hospital did not. So for us, we insist that these contracts be standardized and publicly auditable and public.” Visolajský explained.
According to his words, the minister proposed to create a working group on the issue, which should be made up of representatives of the ministries of finance and health, as well as the Ministry of Health. “The working group should take a position on this, what should be brought, how to improve it. Our proposal was that at least the contracts that the director can order his directors, subordinates, and nominees to be standardized and for the ministry to say what the contract should look like, what must be in the contract, and that these contracts can be compared and to control,” explained the head of the trade unions.
He clarified that the doctors are not yet considering withdrawing their resignations. They would like to discuss all the points of the memorandum with the minister. According to Visolajský, the next meeting was arranged for Thursday (November 14). At the same time, LOZ said that it welcomes the minister’s announced steps in the sector. According to the head of the trade unions, they did not discuss the salary issue with Šašek.
More than 3,300 doctors from hospitals across Slovakia have already resigned as a sign of dissatisfaction with the situation in the healthcare sector. At the same time, doctors are also starting to consider dismissal from overtime work. They are willing to withdraw their resignations if the government starts fulfilling their demands. In particular, they insist on fulfilling the points of the memorandum from 2022, which was signed by the government cabinet at the time with LOZ. At the same time, they demand that the government publicly declare that there will be no transformation of state hospitals into joint-stock companies.
