New Surgery Funding Rules in Ukraine: What Changes for Hospitals and Patients
The National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) is implementing significant changes to the medical facility funding system. Starting July 1 of this year, state support for surgical departments will depend on the number of operations performed. These innovations aim to improve the quality of medical services and ensure patient safety.
According to the new requirements, a surgical department must perform at least 600 major operations per year. If a hospital performs fewer operations, the NHSU will stop allocating funds for this area. Experts explain that this volume of interventions is necessary for surgeons to practice continuously and maintain their high qualifications.
One of the facilities that has already felt the consequences of these changes is a hospital in the village of Domanivka, Mykolaiv region. Because the number of operations there does not meet the new standards, the local surgical department will be left without state funding. This means the hospital will no longer be able to provide certain types of surgical care using state funds.
The main idea of the reform is for patients to receive care in large medical centers. In such facilities, doctors have more experience, and hospitals are better equipped with modern technology. Experts believe that in hospitals with a low number of operations, the risk of medical errors or complications for patients is significantly higher.
For residents of small settlements, these changes may mean the need to travel to larger cities for elective surgeries. However, healthcare representatives emphasize that patient safety and the professionalism of doctors are the top priorities. The state plans to concentrate resources where medical care is provided at the highest level.