Physicians Leaving NUSCH to Stay Part-time until Replacements Found

Bratislava, August 31 (TASR) – Doctors who are set to leave the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NUSCH) are willing to continue to work at the facility on a part-time basis after November 1 unless the facility finds replacements for them by then, TASR learnt from the Health Ministry on Thursday.

This arrangement, which stems from an agreement between Health Minister Tomas Drucker and NUSCH officials, is designed to make sure that smooth and continued health care is provided.

“What I care about most at this point is to make sure that patients don’t end up being affected by the mass resignations,” said Drucker.

Seven specialists working at the diagnostics and interventional radiology department, including its head doctor Ivan Vulev, a cardiologist-angiologist and a neurologist, have submitted their resignations effective as of November 1. The aforementioned department is one NUSCH’s key departments.

“We’ve already launched a process to select highly specialised experts – interventional radiologists,” said NUSCH spokesperson Dobroslava Krajcovicova, giving assurances that health care will continue to be fully provided as until now.

Drucker said that those to blame for how the situation has unfolded will be held accountable, but he noted that this will be dealt with later. “At this point, the top priority for me is to ensure continued health care, which is highly specialised and unique of its kind,” said Drucker.
NUSCH said that the physicians failed to provide sufficient notice of their resignations and didn’t officially disclose their reasons for leaving.

Financial group Penta has confirmed that the doctors will rent premises from it, but also that they won’t work for any of the group’s private facilities such as Medissimo or ProCare.