“Such a strict working program, correlated with the single salary grid, is a direct incentive for the exodus of doctors to other countries. Let us not forget that, with an acute shortfall of doctors, more than 4,000 physicians have left the system in the past few years, and this trend is rising,” the Chairman of the College of Physicians in Romania (CMR), Vasile Astarastoae, told Business Standard.
Although there are no official statistics regarding the deficit of physicians, by comparing this to European countries, Romania has only half of the necessary medical staff. “If we consider the current regulations, physician coverage stands at 65 percent of the required level. If we refer to European regulations, we have 1.91 doctors for every 1,000 inhabitants, while the average in EU countries is 3.54/1,000. An accurate assessment can only be made by the authorities,” Astarastoae said.
According to Florin Andronescu, one of the Sanador private clinic’s investors, the effects of this decision will become visible in the coming six months, but it should have been correlated with the decision to close down nonperforming hospitals. “There is no use keeping on doctors for eight hours for no reason in a hospital that lacks resources,” Andronescu said.
The Ministry announced it will introduce a mandatory eight-hour schedule for physicians in the public system, in compliance with the European system, and its intention to close down nonperforming hospitals, estimated at about 300 of a total 450.
