Privat health services providers are reluctant to perform risky surgeries

One of the main reasons for which private operators do not perform complex surgery is the initial development stage of these services in Romania. “There are no service providers on the Romanian market willing to perform highly complex surgery. Most of them launched their activity on the ambulatory segment. At present, 99 percent of the market is still formed by providers with no hospital services,” the General Manager of Med-As, Simona Ateia, told Business Standard.

The company official said that protecting the company image can also be a reason for delaying launching these services, but more important is the reason referring to the value of investments which need to be made in hospital infrastructure.

“The reluctance is not necessarily due to fear that their image could be affected, but also because procedures and conditions for authorization are very strict for private operators. State hospitals were authorized when they were opened. There is also a hidden fear of a medical error in a private clinic and the way this is tolerated in a state hospital,” Ateia added.

“In order to perform highly complex surgery, you need top physicians, and they usually do not wish to leave state hospitals, where they have a certain level of authority,” said the General Manager of Gral Medical, Robert Serban.

“Their reaction is normal, as long as the risk is not rewarded. In any sector of a market economy, high risk means high profit. Complex surgery should be much better paid, and then private operators would make the necessary investments for them,” said the General Manager of Medicredit Leasing, Mugur Stancu.