THE HEALTH-care system in Slovakia is still average, but it is gradually improving. Compared to other European countries, Slovakia puts emphasis on electronic services in the sector. On the other hand, it still struggles with the high number of deaths caused by cardio-vascular diseases, hospital infections and corruptive behaviour of doctors.
This stems from the 2014 Euro Health Consumer Index report which will be presented by Swedish company Health Consumer Powerhouse in Brussels on January 27. Of 36 surveyed countries Slovakia placed 20th, worse than the Czech Republic, but better than Hungary and Poland, the Sme daily reported.
The report praises Slovakia for charts of hospitals, as well as the country’s emphasis on eHealth, though the Health Ministry postponed its launch to 2017. It also got positive evaluations for its approach of patients to medical records, the registers of doctors, vaccination of children and a low number of abortions.
On the other hand, the report criticises the country for a high number of deaths caused by strokes, cardiovascular diseases, the high prevalence of hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and informal payments that doctors expect to receive from patients, as reported by Sme.
“It is a unique thing,” Tomáš Szalay of the Health Policy Institute told Sme when evaluating the report. According to him, nobody else assesses the health care in Europe to such an extent.
He, on the other hand, dislikes that the report uses old information in some indicators.
Health Ministry spokesperson Martina Šoltésová agrees and says that the data on the number of deaths caused by the cardiovascular diseases used from the World Health Organisation (WHO) database come from 2010, as reported by Sme.
The report also lacks the view of patients’ organisations. Radoslav Herda from the Alliance of Rare Diseases and the Slovak Patient says that they did not even address them, the daily wrote.
Health Consumer Powerhouse measures the performance of health care in Europe and Canada based on public statistics, inquiries among patients and its own survey. The index is based on six indicators: patients’ rights and awareness, waiting periods, selected statistics data, extent and accessibility of provided services, prevention and medications, Sme wrote.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
