THE privatisation of hospitals in Bulgaria will begin within a few months, Minister of Health Slavcho Bogoev was quoted as saying by Pari daily after a news conference on January 6.
Meanwhile, on Monday the Health Ministry started the signing of preliminary contracts with municipal hospitals for health aid in 2004 through the Health Ministry.
As of Monday meetings with the directors of 116 municipal hospitals are scheduled, starting with the major hospitals in Sofia and the Sofia region, followed by Gotse Delchev, Sandanski, Razlog, Petrich, Dupnica, Radomir, Etropole, Trun, Ihtiman, Samokov, Mezdra and Sevlievo. Immediately after the signing of the contract, the first financial subsidies are expected to be transferred.
The ministry will sign contracts with all hospitals in which the state or respective municipality holds more than 50 per cent. The contracts will be individual and the amounts will be agreed with the National Health Insurance Fund.
This year a total of 278 million leva has been allocated for hospital maintenance.
The subsidies to be provided by the state will be equal for all hospitals until March. Then the amounts will vary on the basis of the performance of the individual hospital.
"The Bulgarian Finance Ministry paid the 31 million leva debts of 71 public hospitals," Bogoev said.
Healthcare staff will soon prepare a programme that will calculate the average value for the treatment of patients, included in the 17 general groups of medical conditions.
Hospitals will be separated into seven groups, connected with their expenses. The highest state subsidies will go to university, national, general and profiled hospitals and on the other hand the lowest subsidies will be granted to municipal hospitals.
The Health Ministry will have the right to terminate the contracts with hospitals which breach the signed contract or submit fake data.
"The number of patients treated in hospitals is constantly increasing which is due mainly to the demographic collapse and increasing life expectancy," Bogoev said. There is a growing number of patients with cancer. Statistics shows that cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in Bulgaria, followed by cardio-vascular diseases.
"The slow implementation of the health reform is another factor that has caused deterioration of health of the Bulgarians in recent years," Bogoev said.
- Business Staff
Meanwhile, on Monday the Health Ministry started the signing of preliminary contracts with municipal hospitals for health aid in 2004 through the Health Ministry.
As of Monday meetings with the directors of 116 municipal hospitals are scheduled, starting with the major hospitals in Sofia and the Sofia region, followed by Gotse Delchev, Sandanski, Razlog, Petrich, Dupnica, Radomir, Etropole, Trun, Ihtiman, Samokov, Mezdra and Sevlievo. Immediately after the signing of the contract, the first financial subsidies are expected to be transferred.
The ministry will sign contracts with all hospitals in which the state or respective municipality holds more than 50 per cent. The contracts will be individual and the amounts will be agreed with the National Health Insurance Fund.
This year a total of 278 million leva has been allocated for hospital maintenance.
The subsidies to be provided by the state will be equal for all hospitals until March. Then the amounts will vary on the basis of the performance of the individual hospital.
"The Bulgarian Finance Ministry paid the 31 million leva debts of 71 public hospitals," Bogoev said.
Healthcare staff will soon prepare a programme that will calculate the average value for the treatment of patients, included in the 17 general groups of medical conditions.
Hospitals will be separated into seven groups, connected with their expenses. The highest state subsidies will go to university, national, general and profiled hospitals and on the other hand the lowest subsidies will be granted to municipal hospitals.
The Health Ministry will have the right to terminate the contracts with hospitals which breach the signed contract or submit fake data.
"The number of patients treated in hospitals is constantly increasing which is due mainly to the demographic collapse and increasing life expectancy," Bogoev said. There is a growing number of patients with cancer. Statistics shows that cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in Bulgaria, followed by cardio-vascular diseases.
"The slow implementation of the health reform is another factor that has caused deterioration of health of the Bulgarians in recent years," Bogoev said.
- Business Staff
