Private healthcare facilities are ready to work under the Medical Guarantee Program (MGP) and propose to revise approaches to the formation of certain packages for the MGP, which will reduce the cost of medical services and optimize budget expenditures.
This was stated by members of the Association of Private Medical Institutions (APMI) at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
Mykola Skavronsky, deputy director general of the Cinevo medical laboratory, noted that the laboratory has not stopped working since the beginning of the war, despite the fact that in 2022 Cinevo lost more than 30 branches in different regions.
“It’s quite a shame to see that recovery programs exist only for state or municipal medicine. This completely ignores the fact that private medicine also suffered from the war. But, unlike the state and municipal ones, all private providers are recovering and continue to work with their own or credit funds, not with budget funds and without assistance,” he said.
Commenting on the first experience of Cinevo’s cooperation with the NHSU in 2024, Skavronsky noted that the laboratory’s entry into the PMG “became a kind of spotlight that highlighted the situation with the laboratory industry in Ukraine as a whole.”
“I can say that the state does not know and does not understand the real need of doctors and patients for laboratory diagnostics. Now it is believed that laboratory diagnostics are needed as much as they are ordered, not as much as they are needed. Cinevo’s cooperation with the NHSU has revealed the fact that there is simply a huge unrealized demand for laboratory diagnostics in Ukraine, in March last year alone, we performed almost 730 thousand tests for 72 thousand people, and we saw that of these people who came to us for PMG, two-thirds were new people,” he said.
Skavronsky noted that at basic prices, Cinevo performed tests for about UAH 528 million, at prices, the cost of tests was about UAH 200 million, while the NHSU paid UAH 44 million for them.
“We asked the NHSU to create a laboratory package that would be transparent and clear, where it would be clear what tests and, most importantly, which doctors can prescribe them and in what quantity. Because it turned out that there were no restrictions at all, doctors prescribed tests that should not have been prescribed. It is not the laboratory that should decide what to do and what not to do, there should be a system that simply does not allow prescribing something wrong,” he said.
According to Skavronsky, one of the most popular tests funded by the budget in 2024 was vitamin D tests, of which the laboratory performed about 100 thousand.
“I don’t think Ukraine is such a rich country to cover vitamin D tests in such volumes at the expense of taxpayers. But doctors prescribe them. Why doctors prescribe them is a bigger question for doctors and pharmaceutical companies,” he emphasized.
Skavronsky also emphasized that the implementation of the proposals developed by the laboratory allowed “not only not to increase the tariff, but even to reduce it.”
“As a private laboratory, we would be ready to work with tariffs that are 15% lower, but subject to clear criteria. In recent years, we have heard that money follows the patient, but over the past year, especially in the first quarter, we have seen that money does not follow the patient,” he said.
For his part, Vadym Zukin, Chief Operating Officer of the Leleka Multidisciplinary Medical Center, reminded that Leleka is the only medical center in Ukraine that has international JCI accreditation, and the clinic received its latest confirmation at the end of 2024.
“Literally two months before the full-scale invasion began, the Minister of Health and his deputy came to us and we discussed how these standards could be implemented for other market players. But now it seems that the state is sailing its own ship, and we are trying to catch up with the Ministry of Health and convince it of something,” he explained the situation.
Zukin emphasized that “the state should realize that it is more profitable for it to become a purchaser of medical services rather than a provider and not to invest in fixed assets, since private companies already have these funds.”
He also suggested that the NHSU should enter into longer-term contracts for participation in the PMG.
“Currently, certain PMG packages will have three-year contracts, which is better than one year, but it means nothing, because in Europe and the US they think in terms of seven years, 10 years, 15 years,” he said.
Zukin believes that “now the reform has started to move a little bit in the opposite direction from the notion that money follows patients, and I would like to bring it back in the right direction.”
For her part, Oleksandra Mashkevych, medical director of the Dobrobut medical network, noted that the network is a major taxpayer, employing 3,000 people, including 1,300 doctors. At the same time, 131 employees have been mobilized from Dobrobut and the clinic continues to pay their salaries.
“We are recognized by the Ministry of Health as critical infrastructure. In 2024, we invested almost UAH 0.5 billion in our development, most of which was spent on our energy efficiency. I would like to note that investments in energy efficiency in state and municipal institutions are not made at their own expense, but at the expense of the state or donors or sponsors. We do it on our own,” she said.
At the same time, Mashkevych emphasized that Dobrobut’s cooperation with the NHSU is “quite interesting.” In particular, the clinic has been contracted for a package of assisted reproductive technologies, under which 300 patients have completed treatment cycles and almost 45% of women have already confirmed pregnancy status.
“The tariff for this service was too low for us, we worked in the red, realizing that we were lending a hand to the state, in fact, we gave the state the opportunity to use our facilities to provide free medical services. We had long rounds of negotiations with the NHSU, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance, and they heard us and increased the tariff. This tariff does not cover all our expenses, but we continue to work with it,” she said.
Commenting on the plans to work with the NHSU, Mashkevich noted that Dobrobut plans to expand its participation in the UHI-2025 and is waiting for the NHSU’s decision on contracting for new packages.
At the same time, Mashkevych called it a positive decision to allow private institutions to use the state unified portal of medical vacancies launched by the Ministry of Health.
The press conference was organized by the Interfax-Ukraine agency and the Association of Private Medical Institutions.
Afanasieva, Bereznitsky, CLINIC, MASHKEVYCH, MEDICINE, Ministry of Health, Skavronsky, URAKIN, Yeshchenko, Гавриченко, Зукін
The Ministry of Health continues to impede the entry of private clinics into the medical guarantees program and creates discriminatory conditions for their participation in the single medical space.
This opinion was expressed by members of the Association of Private Medical Institutions (APMI) at a press conference organized jointly with Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
“We have tried many times to reach a dialogue with the relevant ministry, but, unfortunately, we have been ignored in all formats – official, unofficial, absolutely in all. Therefore, we were forced to send an open letter. It is unfortunate that the Ministry of Health demonstrates its intention to continue ignoring us and our problems. This is evidenced, in particular, by the regulatory documents approved after our appeal,” said Olena Yeshchenko, director of Smart Medical Septeg, chairman of the APMZ.
She explained that the regulations put private clinics in a non-competitive position with state or municipal healthcare facilities. “They create artificial obstacles aimed at removing large private providers, healthcare providers from the system, which ultimately leads to unnecessary spending of public funds and their misuse,” she said.
According to Ms. Yeshchenko, these are the requirements of the Primary Healthcare Program 2025, which relate, in particular, to the requirements for laboratory tests, as well as the introduction of reduction coefficients for private clinics when paying for medical services provided under the Primary Healthcare Program, as well as requirements that make it impossible to include private institutions in a capable network, etc.
She emphasized that the issue of booking medical staff is becoming especially relevant for private clinics. “We are talking about a number of very serious discriminatory issues, for example, when it comes to booking medical staff. Even after our appeal, the government approved a 100% quota for booking medical staff for state and municipal institutions, but this is not provided for private institutions, although many private clinics continue to operate and provide medical care to the military and the wounded at their own expense,” she said.
“Thus, in our opinion, a rather corrupt component is being implemented, which contributes to the outflow of medical workers from private medicine to state and municipal institutions,” emphasized Yeshchenko.
According to her, there is currently a problem of communication on this issue between the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Health. “In fact, the two ministries are trying to play football with each other,” she said.
For her part, Oleksandra Mashkevych, medical director of Dobrobut Medical Network, noted that Dobrobut, which is included in the list of critical infrastructure facilities, is also deprived of the possibility of booking.
“Dobrobut Medical Network is a critical infrastructure facility. As far as I know, there are only 11 healthcare facilities classified as critical infrastructure facilities. And I have a question: why we are not included in the resolution on booking 100% of doctors. We will honestly say that our healthcare workers are likely to move to state-owned and municipal facilities, because there is an opportunity to book there,” she said.
As reported, at the end of December last year, the APMH in an open letter to government agencies stated that the Ministry of Health violates the rights of citizens and prevents private institutions from entering the single medical space and the PMG.
Bereznitsky, CLINIC, Havrychenko, MEDICINE, Ministry of Health, Skavronsky, URAKIN, Yeshchenko, Афанасьєва, Зукін, МАШКЕВИЧ
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Dobrobut Medical Network has invested UAH 400 million in a multidisciplinary clinic on Bazhana Avenue in Kyiv.
According to a press release from the medical chain, citing Serhiy Orl, COO of Dobrobut Multidisciplinary Hospital on Bazhana Avenue, Raiffeisen Bank, FUIB and Credit Agricole Bank have become financial partners in the development of the clinic’s ophthalmology department.
“We plan to further develop ophthalmic surgery, providing the highest level of services to our patients,” said Orel.
As reported earlier, Dobrobut medical chain opened an ophthalmology clinic at the end of December on the basis of a multidisciplinary hospital on Bazhana Avenue in Kyiv.
“Dobrobut is one of Ukraine’s largest private healthcare networks. The company’s portfolio includes 17 medical centers in Kyiv and Kyiv region, an emergency service, dentistry and pharmacies. The medical centers of the network provide services for children and adults in more than 75 medical areas. Every year, Dobrobut specialists perform more than 7 thousand surgeries. The network employs more than 2.8 thousand people.
Thanks to cooperation with international charitable organizations such as Direct Relief International, Children of War Foundation, International Medical Corps and University of Miami Global Institute, as well as the work of the Dobrobut Foundation charitable foundation, the clinics of the network continued to operate even during the hostilities and provided a significant part of medical services free of charge. Since the first days of the war, the Dobrobut Medical and Diagnostic Center in Kyiv has been providing emergency medical care to Ukraine’s defenders and wounded civilians free of charge 24/7.
“In August 2022, we entered the premises of the first building of our all-Ukrainian clinic for the first time. In October, renovation work began here and in April, after a record 5 months, we opened the doors of the first building of the Superhumans Center,” the statement reads.
“Superhumans is not just a clinic, not just a network of clinics, it’s a philosophy and rightly so. The rebuilding of a country begins with the rebuilding of each individual, military or civilian. Child or adult. And when we see the creation of such a center, we see the creation of a place of strength,” said First Lady Elena Zelenskaya, the center’s ambassador, at the opening.
“For me, it’s a personal obligation, my way of giving thanks to those we win. The military and civilians who paid for our country’s freedom with their own health will receive at Superhumans the most advanced technology, the best medical expertise from around the world, an individualized itinerary – everything they need to get back to active life,” said Superhumans co-founder Andrew Stavnitzer.
“We are honored to be part of this extraordinary effort to help world-class Ukrainians who have been terribly injured in this war – they are truly ‘Superhumans.’ Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a war against civilians.
Many men, women, and children will lose life or limb, even long after the war is over, due to the sheer number of mines in large parts of Ukraine. This center is a step toward giving Ukrainians a chance to rebuild their lives and their country,” said Howard G. Buffett, chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
The Superhumans Center is a comprehensive medical facility that will prosthetically treat and rehabilitate patients, primarily those who have been injured as a result of Russian aggression.
The first phase of the center, a prosthetic workshop and part of the rehabilitation center, were opened April 14. According to Vladimir Golovatsky, deputy medical center, more than sixty medical specialists will work in the center. Annually about 3 thousand patients will be treated there.
Investment in the launch of the Superhumans rehabilitation medical center in Lviv is estimated at $54 million, Superhumans CEO Olga Rudneva said earlier.
The first stage of the project includes repairs of premises, purchase of equipment, a year of medical team salaries and purchase of materials for prosthetics.
The second and third phases include the launch of all the buildings of the hospital, the start of the educational center on the basis of Superhumans, and expansion to other regions of Ukraine, in particular, to Kharkiv.
The project has already been supported by the Howard Buffett Foundation, the Richard Branson Virgin Unite Foundation, Cargill, Payoneer, Freedom Finance, Loro Piano, Mastercard, SD Capital and others.
A memorandum of cooperation was signed between Superhumans and the Ministry of Health. Health Minister Viktor Lyashko noted that the joint goal is to provide Ukrainians who suffered war injuries with the world’s best expertise.
Ottobock, a German manufacturer of technologies for manufacturing various types of prostheses, orthoses and exoskeletons, is working with the Superhumans project to launch a laboratory for the production of prostheses. Ossur, a leading manufacturer of bionic and other prostheses from Iceland, is also advising the team on starting its own production of prostheses.
The project is being created at the initiative of Ukrainian businessman Andrei Stavnitser. Another of its founders is Philip Grushko.
ADONIS medical group of companies will relocate a family-type maternity hospital located in the left-bank part of Kyiv due to non-renewal of the lease of the premises.
“The circumstances under which we are forced to relocate the maternity hospital do not depend on us. The owner of the building did not renew the lease of the premises, and therefore we are forced to leave it before the end of the week,” the medical group said.
CIM ADONIS clarifies that the full complement of medical teams work in the maternity hospital in Sofiyivska Borshchagovka.
“All patients who have entered into obstetric agreements with Adonis Center LLC in connection with these circumstances will receive obstetric services at the clinic in Sofiyivska Borshchagovka. ADONIS ambulance transportation is free and round-the-clock (including during curfew hours)”, – specified by the company.
The clinic reported that over the years of operation of the maternity hospital on the left bank, more than 800 babies were born.
As reported, ADONIS International Group of Companies opened a family-type maternity hospital on Sofiyivska Borshchagovka.
ADONIS is a network of private medical centers for adults and children founded over 20 years ago. It includes 12 branches in Kyiv and the region, including two own maternity hospitals and a stem cell laboratory.
In the branches of the clinic, doctors receive patients in 66 medical areas.
CLINIC, MATERNITY HOSPITAL, SOFIYIVSKA BORSHCHAGOVKA, АДОНИС
The medical group Adonis has opened a multidisciplinary clinic in Kyiv with a surgical hospital for 24 single wards.
The company told the Interfax-Ukraine agency, in particular, the clinic will provide services of innovative reconstructive surgery for malignant neoplasms of the stomach, conduct radiation diagnostics (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging MRI, high-tech X-ray operating room), instrumental and laboratory diagnostics.
In addition, the clinic will provide innovative cell therapy, recovery and rehabilitation services after COVID-19.
Earlier it was reported that the Adonis medical group plans to open four branches in 2021.
Adonis is a network of private full-cycle medical centers for adults and children. The private clinic Adonis was founded over 20 years ago. The network includes ten branches in Kyiv and the region, including two of its own maternity hospitals and a stem cell laboratory. In the branches of the clinic, doctors conduct appointments in 60 medical directions.
