Bulgaria's Health Minister Prepares Concept for Better Healthcare

Society » HEALTH | December 8, 2010, Wednesday // 19:57
Bulgaria: Bulgaria's Health Minister Prepares Concept for Better Healthcare Bulgaria's Health Minister, Stefan Konstantinov, has announced he will work for implementing full smoking ban on public places. Photo by BGNES

Enough number of referrals from the GP in order to consult with a specialist, 24/7 doctors cabinets, and specific rules on when and how much patients pay doctors are included in the concept for better healthcare of Bulgaria's Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov, private TV channel bTV informed.

He has explained that diagnosis related groups (DRG) will be introduced next year in order to replace the so called clinical paths in Bulgaria (access to various medical services). The DRG system will be used to classify hospital cases into groups, which are expected to have similar hospital resource use.

The introduction of the DRG system will cost BGN 3 M. The preparation for its introduction will begin next year, but it will begin working in 2012.

From 2011, there will be 24/7 doctors cabinets in the hospitals. An easier access to specialists is also envisioned in the new concept. At first, the number of referrals will be increased and will later be replaced by direct payment.

Doctors in state hospitals are expected to receive better salaries, according to Konstantinov.

The beginning of 2011 will also set the introduction of the long-prepared National Health Card, which should define the number and type of hospitals that are needed in the country.

The health minister has announced that he wanted to transform hospitals from trading to public corporations, so that he could impose his control over them more effectively.

Kostantinov has also confirmed that he will work seriously towards implementing the full smoking ban on public places. He said he was preparing a legislative amendment and expressed hope that he would be backed by the majority in the parliament.

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Tags: healthcare, Stefan Konstantinov, hospitals

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