The Department of Health proposed to support 165 billion VND for 8 hospitals to implement autonomy.

(Baonghean.vn) - That was one of two proposals by the leaders of the Department of Health at a meeting to discuss and resolve problems in the process of implementing autonomy at 8 public hospitals organized by the Provincial People's Committee on the morning of March 8.

Comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested hospitals to focus on efforts, be proactive and flexible to do well in the transition process. Photo: Thanh Chung.

At the meeting, delegates all agreed on the common perception: Financial autonomy is a mandatory requirement for public hospitals in the coming time, in the context of budget deficit and the policy of reducing regular expenditure. Implementing autonomy will help units develop technical expertise, facilities, and improve the quality of medical examination and treatment.

Representatives of 8 hospitals preparing and implementing the pilot autonomy have raised a series of difficulties, obstacles and unclear issues, namely: The issue of socializing joint ventures and associations in autonomy; time and agency receiving reports and monitoring human resource recruitment and apparatus; bidding for equipment procurement; medical service prices for patients with health insurance and voluntary patients; health insurance payment in the context of autonomy; fixed-staff and contract staff according to bed quotas; hospital reserve functions when implementing autonomy; the use of salary reform resources...

Also at the meeting, representatives of the Departments of Finance, Planning and Investment, and Home Affairs took turns answering related questions. However, there were still many issues that could not be answered immediately to the satisfaction of the 8 hospitals.

The representative of the Department of Health has 2 proposals to the Provincial People's Committee: First, request the Provincial People's Committee to consider and support one-time funding in the first year of conversion, with a maximum level equal to the regular expenditure level assigned to the unit in the previous year adjacent to the conversion year (According to Clause 5, Article 13, Decree 85/2012/ND-CP). For 8 hospitals, the Department of Health requests the Provincial People's Committee to support 165 billion VND.

Second, propose the Provincial People's Committee to chair a meeting with the participation of the Department of Health and Social Insurance to resolve problems and disagreements in the payment and settlement process.

Treatment and care for patients at the Provincial General Hospital. Photo: Duc Anh.

Concluding the meeting, comrade Le Minh Thong clearly stated the issue of autonomy: Autonomous hospitals are state-owned enterprises; performing tasks and operating according to mechanisms, policies, planning, plans and subject to state inspection and supervision.

The 8 autonomous hospitals in 2017 are all units with positive revenue in the last 3 years, meeting the conditions to implement. Therefore, it is recommended that hospitals focus on making efforts, be proactive and flexible to do well in the transition process.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested: The departments of internal affairs, finance, and investment planning should focus on developing guidelines on autonomy based on existing state documents so that the 8 hospitals have a basis for implementation. The Department of Health should receive comments and instructions to focus on directing effective autonomous transformation. The levels and departments that carry out inspection and supervision should create conditions for the 8 hospitals to perform their tasks well, in the direction of administrative procedure reform.

Regarding the two proposals of the Department of Health, comrade Le Minh Thong suggested: The Department of Health should coordinate with the Department of Finance to study the document and submit it to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee for consideration; State legal regulations need to be strictly implemented, the two sectors of Health and Social Insurance need to unite to perform their tasks well./.

Thanh Son