Migration of doctors, "followed by the migration of patients"

Romania risks losing also its patients, not just the doctors, once with the entry into force of the European Directive which provides the reimbursement of medical services for Romanians that treat abroad, says the Health Solidarity Federation, a trade profile in the health system.

"As regards the healthcare stuff, it is not only the scenario, but a reality that gains more disturbing aspects. Even in terms of patients, the migration started already recording rife in the west.

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For instance, thousands of Romanian treated in hospitals in Szeged, Debrecen and Gyula, preferring to pay out of their pocket the cost of quality health services.

"Given that the directive obliges the Romanian state to repay the money for treatment, the process will become unprecedented, depriving countless hospitals of their potential patients and emptying the coffers of the National Health Insurance", it is stated into a press release of the Solidarity Federation health.

According to the cited source, the EU Directive. 24/2011 would come into force in the autumn, in October, and the Bucharest authorities should prepare to prevent the generalization of "migration of doctors and patients."

"To allocate 50 or 500 million euros to the additional salary still does not solve the underlying problem and needs to reform itself to relocate the health financing system. The hasty measures will not compensate the structural weaknesses that characterize the health system, requiring extensive reform measures," reads the press release.

Recently, the President of Romanian Physicians College, Vasile Astărăstoaie, said that "doctors can not bear the scorn they are subjected in Romania" and may resign en bloc.

The health ministry said then that they are working on a new project in the health payroll.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University