Will increase the number of hospital beds in hospitals with autonomous regular spending

On the afternoon of October 19, comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired a meeting with the Nghe An Department of Health and 14 hospitals in the province to discuss increasing the number of hospital beds of hospitals implementing the plan of autonomy in regular spending.

Also attending were representatives of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department, the Provincial People's Council's Culture and Social Affairs Department, relevant departments, branches and leaders of 14 hospitals.

The Department of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Provincial General Hospital of Friendship, had to add more beds in the hallway. Photo: Thanh Chung

According to the report of the Department of Health: Up to now, there are 14 hospitals in the province that are self-sufficient in regular expenditure. In these 14 units, in 2015, the planned number of beds was 4,180 and the actual number of beds was 6,115.

In 2018, the planned number of beds was 4,975 and the actual number of beds was 8,741. Thus, in 3 years, the annual planned hospital bed target assigned by the Provincial People's Committee only increased by nearly 800 beds, while the actual number of beds increased by nearly 2,600 beds.

Leaders of Nghe An Department of Health reported on the difficult reality of hospital beds in 14 hospitals. Photo: Thanh Chung

Among the 14 units with regular expenditure autonomy, there are currently 6 hospitals with annual bed occupancy rates of over 150%, the rest are all over 130%. The fact that the number of patients is increasing while the planned number of beds cannot keep up has caused considerable difficulties for the units in paying for medical examination and treatment costs under health insurance, socializing hospitals and developing high technology.

From the above difficulties and based on the actual situation, Nghe An Department of Health proposed the Provincial People's Committee to increase hospital beds for 14 units implementing regular expenditure autonomy by 2,265 more beds. The total number after increase is expected to reach 7,640 beds, the ratio of total after increase compared to actual beds is 87%.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong agreed with the proposal of the Department of Health and said that the current hospital bed quota is hindering the development of hospitals. Photo: Thanh Chung

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong agreed with the proposal of the Nghe An Department of Health. The Vice Chairman of the People's Committee requested 14 autonomous units to develop plans to increase hospital beds based on the legal basis and practical basis of the units. The Department of Health advised the Provincial People's Committee to establish a council to appraise and decide on specific increases. By January 2018, the appraisal must be completed./.