The Ministry of Health has announced the development of a new regulation on dual practice. According to the proposal, doctors employed in the public sector will be allowed additional work in the private sector only if patients do not have to wait longer than 60 days for their first consultation in the public system.
This measure comes in response to growing issues with healthcare accessibility, considering that the current average waiting time for diagnostic tests is 126 days. The main goal of the regulation is to limit the ability of doctors employed in the public sector to also work in the private sector, while also defining clear criteria for which medical procedures these restrictions will apply.
While some hospital doctors warn that the limitation could lead to an increase in doctors moving entirely to the private sector, the Minister of Health believes this not to be the case. She emphasized that the regulation will be aligned with all stakeholders and that, in case of high risks of doctors leaving the public sector, the criteria for additional work will be adjusted.
The Croatian Association of Hospital Doctors states that dual practice of doctors is not the main cause of long waiting lists, but that the key issue lies in the poor management of the health system at all levels.
The Ministry of Health announced that the regulation should soon be sent for public consultation.
For more information (in Croatian) see:
- https://zdravlje.gov.hr/vijesti/ministrica-zdravstva-u-rtl-u-danas-o-dopunskom-radu-lijecnika/6763
- https://zdravlje.gov.hr/vijesti/hrstic-vazno-je-ograniciti-mogucnost-rada-lijecnika-u-privatnom-sustavu/6759
- https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/hubol-dvojni-rad-lijecnika-nije-primarni-problem-zdravstva/2620947.aspx