LOZ Welcomes Health Ministry Launched Audits at State-run Hospitals

Bratislava, 9 April (TASR) - The Doctors' Trade Union Association (LOZ) welcomes the fact that the Health Ministry has launched audits in state-run hospitals, TASR was told by association's chairman Peter Visolajsky, in response to the 'Healthy Hospitals - Strong Health Care' conference held in Bratislava on Thursday. LOZ also commended state-run hospitals for setting an example of transparency for private hospitals. LOZ is convinced that the greatest possible transparency in hospitals and the entire health-care sector will benefit patients and public finances, and will also increase pressure for greater efficiency in health care. "This is also why, during the doctors' strike, LOZ agreed with the government that the Health Ministry would conduct an audit of both public and private hospitals to reveal the staffing situation in hospitals regarding nurses, doctors, and other personnel, and such an audit should also cover part-time positions," noted Visolajsky. However, according to him, the findings presented on Thursday didn't address this issue and therefore don't meet what LOZ demanded from the government. Nevertheless, the union is standing by this demand and is calling for an in-depth staffing audit down to the department level in every single hospital, and hopes that the ministry will continue with audits of both public and private hospitals. A pilot audit concerning the functioning of state-run hospitals that was commissioned by the Health Ministry and carried out in five hospitals across Slovakia has revealed several key findings, while identifying potential for improvement, stated Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) at the conference. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) confirmed that he's seen the audit results, describing the findings as "shocking". Areas that could be improved include the utilisation of personnel, material and technical equipment, the purchase of medicinal products, data standardisation and hospital funding and efficiency. am