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MEMBER'S CORNER
POLAND
A cardiac surgery center turns into a Covid unity
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Could you summarize the actions taken by Medinet to welcome Covid patients in the past 12 months? (already many pieces of information are given in the video)
The last few months have been like a roller coaster ride for us, a very difficult time for our establishment specialized in cardiac surgery. Each wave of the pandemic, and the third one we are going through right now, have turned upside down our care schedules and the way our hospital operates. We have tried to get our adult and pediatric cardiac surgery activity back to normal, but we have experienced a constant stop and go.
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Anna Farmas, CEO of Medinet
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During the past year, many operations had to be cancelled or postponed and we had to rescale our cardiac surgery planning while creating a dedicated Covid ward in one part of our hospital.
We had to modify our infrastructure with additional installations we did not have, make building changes, purchase, and replace medical equipment due to the different profile of Covid patients. Some equipment for instance is not suitable for a rapid diagnosis of this disease, others do not support continuous disinfection and misting, which makes the work very difficult for the managers, who have to define priorities at all times.
At the same time, I am aware that young and adult patients with heart diseases are waiting for heart surgery and any delay might be a loss of chance for them and may even lead to their death, sometimes at home.
As a CEO of Medinet, how would you rate the assistance you have received from your government in dealing with the pandemic?
The Prof. Zbigniew Religa Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases - Medinet Ltd has a contract with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ.), so that we are integrated into the health system and are fulfilling tasks related to the pandemic. After the first wave, we received personal protective equipment and additional funding for the staff working with infected patients. However, special equipment to monitor, diagnose and treat patients are necessary and are very expensive and in this matter, we can only rely on ourselves. Through the Association for the Development of Paediatric and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, we collect money for a digital X-ray machine, cardiac monitors, infusion pumps and we are looking for sponsors, funders, counting on the generosity and the understanding of the donors.
How do you evaluate the engagement of the private sector in Poland to face the pandemic?
Private hospitals in Poland declared their commitment to the fight against the pandemic right from the beginning, but it is only after the first wave that the Polish Government has been treating them as partners in this fight. 1.400 hospital beds have been made available, vaccination centers have been established in private entities and it should be remembered that patients are treated and diagnosed in these hospitals also because public hospitals operate to a limited extent.
It has just been announced that the Government is taking over private hospitals to treat Covid patients. The situation in this matter is very dynamic.
UEHP supports gender equality in the private healthcare sector. You are a woman but above all a CEO, how do you perceive the place of women in leading positions in Poland in 2021?
I am pleased to observe an increasing number of women sitting on the boards of private and public hospitals, although it is still a man´s domain. I must say that all my colleagues who manage medical institutions are excellent leaders and managers in their organizations. I think women have certain skills that are very helpful such as multitasking and empathy, much needed in these positions. Unfortunately, there is still much to be done in this regard, because women still have to prove that they are the right person in the right place. I particularly welcome the efforts made by the UHEP to support gender equality in the healthcare sector.
More to discover:
PORTUGAL
Health in Europe for a healthy Europe
When asked to specify the most important issue for the future of Europe, Europeans chose Health care.
Last week's Eurobarometer published a special edition about social issues and the results are unequivocal:
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By Oscar Gaspar, president of the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitals (APHP)
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Health is by far the most important issue, chosen by more than a third of respondents. What is also clear in this study is that, significantly ahead of any other area, Health is designated as being the issue that deserves higher priority from the government of each Member State but also from the European Union as a whole, which must take measures to prepare the future of Europe.
The Eurobarometer results may not be surprising given the current COVID-19 context and the widespread concern about the pandemic, but Europeans no longer identify health needs as conjunctural issues or personal or circumstantial concerns. Europeans identify Europe's future with health and vice versa. The European social model, one of the great objectives of European construction, means that Europeans demand that health be a political priority.
It is known that Health is one of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights which recognizes that everyone has the right to timely access to affordable, preventive, and curative health care of good quality. We must now create the conditions to make this goal a reality and so that Europeans can identify themselves with resilient and sustainable health systems that ensure universal coverage and access.
Furthermore, the health sector is a leader in terms of research and development, innovation, digital transition, knowledge, and intelligence for decision support, as well as in constantly adapting to people's health needs.
The various health players (research and development, pharmaceutical industry, pharmacies, medical device industry, outpatient providers, hospitals, insurers, providers in areas such as information technologies and equipment) form a cluster (a diamond, as Michael Porter would say) that is at the service of citizens' health and the sustainability of health systems, contributing also to the qualified employment, investment and competitiveness of the European economy.
In January Portugal took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months and it is therefore up to us to take the relevant steps to uphold the choice that Europeans have made: health systems that guarantee care if, when and where necessary, efficiently but, above all, with humanity while Europe should ensure strategic sovereignty in the economic chain linked to life sciences. Moreover, it is the first European Presidency after the State of the Union ( click here) in which the European Commission and the European Parliament have joined voices in their commitment to move towards a European Health Union.
This is Health time. In good time Portugal embraced the European Health Union process in this semester´s program. One of the highlights of the Portuguese Presidency will certainly be the Social Summit which will be held on May 6 and 7 in Porto, and in order to respond to the needs of citizens, we believe that this is also the time to highlight Health as a (very relevant) part of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
AUSTRIA
UEHP presents its Board Members
Interview with Mag. Stefan Günther
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What is the place of the private healthcare sector in your country?
The private hospital sector in Austria has a longstanding presence besides a strong public sector, with highly spezialised and outstanding acute care institutions (154 public/43 private/UEHP Factbook), but also with 37 private rehabilitation clinics.
In the rehabilitation sector, health costs are covered by the public social health insurance, whereas acute care clinics depend to a large extend on self-payers or privately insured patients, which has been a hindrance to the development of the sector.
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Stefan Günther
© Akos Burg
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Like in many other countries in Europe, the Covid pandemic has unfortunately reopened the debate on the place and purpose of the private healthcare sector in Austria. Why private clinics when the public sector can do everything and much better? We would like to do much more as private health care operators if we were allowed to. A patient affiliated with the public health insurance in Austria and who does not have a complementary insurance, can only go to a private rehabilitation clinic, which unlike acure care private clinics are under contract with the public insurance. I think this is a great pity.
Why did you apply to become a UEHP Board member? What would you like to achieve?
I have been representing Austria at UEHP for 7 years and I am now a sitting on the Board since 2021. It is important for me to be a UEHP Board member because many decisions and regulations are made at the European level. As most private hospitals in Europe face similar problems, so that acting together give us a chance to weight in on those decisions. I am firmly convinced that this must be done at the European level, as it is often already too late to influence decisions once they are about to be implemented at national level. At the European level, I would like to see more unity, but also I wish that the private health care sector would be taken more seriously, acknowledged and supported.
I also find exchanges with other UEHP members very enriching. They are good opportunities to broaden one’s horizon.
How can UEHP best help you to defend the private healthcare sector in your country?
The question is rather to define what we can do to help UEHP to have a stronger voice as a private health operator at the European level. What can I do to serve the interests of UEHP and what opportunities do I have to better be heard in return? The different European UEHP member countries are definitely stronger with UEHP than without UEHP.
Stefan Günther Studied business administration in Graz. He is the Managing Director of Hospitals Projektentwicklungsges.m.b.H. specialized in Finance, human resources, organisational and project development. He is the Secretary General of the Association of Austrian Private Hospitals and sits on the Board of UEHP since 2015.
ROMANIA
UEHP presents its Board Members
Interview with Cristian Hotoboc
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What is the place of the private healthcare sector in your country?
In Romania the private health care sector occupies a large place with primary care and specialized institutions, laboratories and radiology centers. The private hospital sector is growing very fast but the majority of beds are still in public hands (20 % private). Most private hospitals (56%) are under contract with the National Health Insurance Fund and welcome all patients but a part of the care provided in private hospitals still has to be paid out-of-pocket.
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Cristian Hotoboc
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As the amount received by the National Health Insurance Fund does mostly not cover the costs of care we provide, we try very hard right now to have the copayments by patients to private medical services provided approved by the Ministry of Health. Private hositals, unlike public ones, do not receive extra public money to cover salaries, investments and operations costs.
Why did you apply to become a UEHP Board member? What would you like to achieve?
I would like to be close to the EU commission. I think that it might be helpful for our lobbying work to be closer to the policies at the EU level. UEHP offers a perfect platform to meet other hospital managers from the private hospital sector and to receive the latest information. I noticed that we have more or less the same problem in all countries and that we will achieve more if we are united. In the end we all only want to contribute to the good health of our populations.
How can UEHP best help you to defend the private healthcare sector in your country?
I come with my experience to UEHP, also with my experience at the EU level. On the other hand it is a great help for me to know that I have 11 other countries on my side when it comes to negociating with my governement.
Cristian Hotoboc graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies, Faculty of International Economic Relations, in 2000. Since 2007, he is President of the Association of Private Medical Service Providers (PALMED). PALMED supports Romanian private health providers, as well as the right of patients to access quality medical services at an affordable price. Since 2010, he is also President of the Alliance for Health in Romania.
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