SE/STA
18. 11. 2024, 17.39
Updated: 11/18/2024, 5:47 p.m
Heavily burdened emergency centers will be relieved by a system of smaller satellite emergency centers across the country, which will be operational by 2028, emphasized the State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Denis Kordež. At the same time, he announced the awarding of medical workers according to the workload, which is greater in emergency centers than in emergency rooms in smaller towns.
When asked what the financial incentives will be Cordage first pointed out salary increases in connection with the reform of the public sector salary system. The basis for variable remuneration of healthcare employees will be the measurement of effective workloads. They are also planning changes in the payment of emergency services based on burdens.
“The emergency department in the Ljubljana University Hospital or University Hospital Maribor cannot be evaluated in the same way as less burdened emergency services,” the secretary of state said in a statement to the media after a consultation on the future of emergency medicine.
According to him, the overloaded emergency centers will be relieved by smaller satellite emergency centers. For now, only one has been fully established, namely in Kočevje. The remaining 14 are planned to be established by 2028. They will ensure better access to comprehensive medical care in local environments, thereby relieving the burden on emergency centers in larger cities.
According to Kordež, emergency doctors have already been relieved of some measures in the recent period, including the introduction of the so-called emergency doctor’s vehicle. It is a system in which the emergency doctor is not taken to the intervention in an ambulance, but in a separate vehicle when he is needed.
Many medical students change careers after graduation
According to the President of the Medical Association of Slovenia Bojan Beović emergency medicine is very attractive to medical students during their studies, but later on they do not choose to specialize in large numbers. Many later quit and change professions. “That is why we are definitely in favor of improving the working conditions of emergency physicians, both in terms of workload and pay, relatively, of course, compared to other specialties. It is really extremely difficult work, but of course it saves lives.” she emphasized.
“The fact is that this is a profession that requires you as a whole and more, there are a lot of workloads, there are a lot of study loads,” explained the president of the Section for Emergency Medicine at the Slovenian Medical Association Gregor Prosen. Therefore, emergency physicians expect and need systemic assistance. “We are aware that there are probably no immediate quick solutions, but on the other hand, we also received some positive signals from the ministry,” he said after the consultation, which was also attended by representatives of the ministry.
Slovenia needs 300 emergency medicine specialists
In addition to emergency doctors, family doctors and doctors from other fields with knowledge of emergency medical care also work in emergency services in Slovenia. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Health, Slovenia would need approximately 300 additional specialists in emergency medicine. Only two candidates applied for the specialization in emergency medicine in the autumn call for medical specializations for the entire country for the 20 advertised positions.
Today, Kordež also announced the introduction of specialization for medical graduates and nurses in emergency work, which will be ready by the end of the year. “I think that with the introduction of this specialization, we will additionally relieve the burden on doctors, or by redistributing or sharing certain competencies and obligations, we will more easily strengthen the system and develop it further,” he emphasized.
Source: svet24.si
