Kalavska Defending Hospital Reform, Intends to Meet Politicians

Bratislava, September 5 (TASR) – Providing safer and better quality health care in Slovakia is essential; however, it won’t be possible without reform, Health Minister Andrea Kalavska (a Smer-SD nominee) told a news conference held at the Health Ministry on Thursday with renowned experts in attendance.

In the week starting on September 16, Kalavska intends to meet all political parties to defend the project involving one of the biggest reforms of the Slovak health-care system, the so-called stratification, or “Healthy Change”.

Kalavska emphasised she wants to depoliticise the issue and return it to the professional level. “We carefully listened to all opinions so that the concept to improve the system’s quality is set as well as possible. The stratification that is currently taking place is natural. We want to put in place clear and transparent rules to improve the quality of health care for patients and better working conditions for doctors, nurses and other health care professionals,” said Kalavska. She called on all Slovak politicians to take a “responsible attitude” to the issue.

Stratification will bring, for example, measuring through better treatment results. Hospitals will have to gradually set criteria, such as the minimum number of medical treatments per year. The project defines 28 groups covering dozens of concrete treatments. These must be centralised. The new typology of hospitals should guarantee health care to a clearly defined extent. It should take effect in 2024. It should also bring a new type of hospital specialising in long-term patient care.