site.btaOrganizations of Doctors, Pharmacists, Dentists, Other Health Professionals Demand Dialogue with Institutions
SC 17:24:01 03-11-2021
MT1722.119
119 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS - DOCTORS - PHARMACISTS - COVID-19
Organizations of Doctors, Pharmacists, Dentists,
Other Health Professionals
Demand Dialogue with Institutions
Sofia, November 3 (BTA) - COVID-zones (medical centres other than hospitals that have been contracted by the National Health Insurance Fund to test and treat patients with COVID-19) are not effective, not evenly distributed and have not led to a reduction in hospitalizations and mortality, said Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association Dr. Nikolay Branzalov in the national press club of BTA on Wednesday. At the press conference, organizations of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and healthcare professionals called on the institutions for dialogue and were unanimous that they would not allow themselves to be opposed to each other because the problems of the professions are becoming problems for the patients as well.
According to Dr. Branzalov, workers in COVID-zones are not able to prescribe drugs because they do not have the necessary software, which makes patients go to their GPs. According to him, in this situation the work of the COVID-zones becomes meaningless, as GPs do all the work, he said, adding that in some COVID-zones, patients are asked to pay for their tests.
Patients do not receive adequate care, and the list of drugs declared free is not fully reimbursed by the NHIF, Dr. Branzalov said.
A change in the philosophy of the National Health Insurance Fund is needed, said Dr. Svetoslav Gachev of the Bulgarian Dental Association. According to him, the NHIF should "stop buying" medical services. Professional organizations are not beggars, he added.
From December 1, pharmacists will receive 10 leva for every processed prescription for COVID-19, said chair of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union Prof. Asena Serbezova. The news comes after protests by pharmacists that they are excluded from funding for front-line workers.
With the forthcoming normative change, it is envisaged that from January 1 next year the NHIF will pay pharmacists 4 leva for every processed prescription for the medicines fully paid for by the Fund, added Prof. Serbezova. For this purpose, an additional 14 million leva will have to be provided in the budget of the NHIF for next year.
The Memorandum, which was signed yesterday between the professional organization and the National Health Insurance Fund, envisages easing the procedure for writing and issuing electronic prescriptions, as well as minimizing the risk of making mistakes, explained Prof. Serbezova.
She said it was wrong to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the NHIF only after a meeting with the head of State.
According to her, over the years the professional organization has repeatedly proposed good pharmaceutical practices, which have not yet been adopted in Bulgaria.
The integrity of the medical community is important for people's health, said Milka Vasileva, President of the Bulgarian Association of Health Professionals in Nursing. According to her, there are still many unresolved problems in the system, and in the last 10 years the number of healthcare professionals has been constantly decreasing. In one year, 2,500 nurses have left the system due to retirement or leaving the country, Vasileva said. She reiterated that another 30,000 nurses are needed for the health system.
LN/MT/МТ/
MT1722.119
119 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS - DOCTORS - PHARMACISTS - COVID-19
Organizations of Doctors, Pharmacists, Dentists,
Other Health Professionals
Demand Dialogue with Institutions
Sofia, November 3 (BTA) - COVID-zones (medical centres other than hospitals that have been contracted by the National Health Insurance Fund to test and treat patients with COVID-19) are not effective, not evenly distributed and have not led to a reduction in hospitalizations and mortality, said Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association Dr. Nikolay Branzalov in the national press club of BTA on Wednesday. At the press conference, organizations of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and healthcare professionals called on the institutions for dialogue and were unanimous that they would not allow themselves to be opposed to each other because the problems of the professions are becoming problems for the patients as well.
According to Dr. Branzalov, workers in COVID-zones are not able to prescribe drugs because they do not have the necessary software, which makes patients go to their GPs. According to him, in this situation the work of the COVID-zones becomes meaningless, as GPs do all the work, he said, adding that in some COVID-zones, patients are asked to pay for their tests.
Patients do not receive adequate care, and the list of drugs declared free is not fully reimbursed by the NHIF, Dr. Branzalov said.
A change in the philosophy of the National Health Insurance Fund is needed, said Dr. Svetoslav Gachev of the Bulgarian Dental Association. According to him, the NHIF should "stop buying" medical services. Professional organizations are not beggars, he added.
From December 1, pharmacists will receive 10 leva for every processed prescription for COVID-19, said chair of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union Prof. Asena Serbezova. The news comes after protests by pharmacists that they are excluded from funding for front-line workers.
With the forthcoming normative change, it is envisaged that from January 1 next year the NHIF will pay pharmacists 4 leva for every processed prescription for the medicines fully paid for by the Fund, added Prof. Serbezova. For this purpose, an additional 14 million leva will have to be provided in the budget of the NHIF for next year.
The Memorandum, which was signed yesterday between the professional organization and the National Health Insurance Fund, envisages easing the procedure for writing and issuing electronic prescriptions, as well as minimizing the risk of making mistakes, explained Prof. Serbezova.
She said it was wrong to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the NHIF only after a meeting with the head of State.
According to her, over the years the professional organization has repeatedly proposed good pharmaceutical practices, which have not yet been adopted in Bulgaria.
The integrity of the medical community is important for people's health, said Milka Vasileva, President of the Bulgarian Association of Health Professionals in Nursing. According to her, there are still many unresolved problems in the system, and in the last 10 years the number of healthcare professionals has been constantly decreasing. In one year, 2,500 nurses have left the system due to retirement or leaving the country, Vasileva said. She reiterated that another 30,000 nurses are needed for the health system.
LN/MT/МТ/
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