Romanian Public Hospitals To Be Funded According To Class

The hospital classification was decided Wednesday by the Government, through the national strategy for hospital and healthcare rationalization for 2011-2012.

The minister said the classification methodology will be published in Romania's Official Journal by April 1. Each healthcare unit will have to conduct a self-evaluation, checked by the public health department. Afterwards, the Health Ministry will issue an order classifying every unit.

The first class should include hospitals with a vast field of expertise, but at the moment no Romanian public hospital meets this requirement. Cseke said that, if local authorities cooperate, two or three medical centers fulfilling this condition may be created by the end of the year.

The second class will include hospitals with a high number of facilities, serving a county and its neighbors, and treating complex illnesses.

The third class will have hospitals with an average number of services, serving only a single county.

The fourth class will include basic hospitals, serving a single town and treating low-complexity illnesses.

The fifth class will include units with limited competence, such as those providing specialized medical services.

All public hospitals in Romania should be included in one of these classes by June 1, when the new frame-contract on healthcare is due to enter force. The contract for healthcare in 2011-2012 was supposed to take effect on April 1, but family doctors asked the authorities on Wednesday to postpone its introduction by one month, allowing time for the act to be amended according to their demands.

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