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.
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About 7.7% of Ukrainians use the services of private medical laboratories five to 10 times a year, while 32.7% of Ukrainians use private laboratories less than five times a year.
This is according to a study conducted by the sociological company Active Group together with the Experts Club think tank.
According to the study, 34.8% of respondents visit private laboratories less than once a year, while 22.5% of Ukrainians do not visit them at all.
The top 10 most visited laboratories in Ukraine over the past two years include Synevo, which was visited by 39.5% of respondents, Dila (15.5%), Aesculab (9.3%), Invivo (6.1%), DniproLab (4.8%), Median (2.5%), Medlab (4.5%), DNA Laboratory (2.3%), Unimed (2.3%), and Nova Diagnostika (2%).
At the same time, 51.4% of respondents did not visit private medical laboratories at all.
When asked what aspects of private laboratories need to be improved, 69.8% of respondents said that it was the cost of services, 31.8% – the accuracy of results, 15.2% – the speed of service, 12.5% – the conditions in the laboratory, 11.8% – the politeness of the staff.
The survey was conducted in July by individual interviews. The study involved 600 respondents.
According to Andriy Yeremenko, founder of Active Group research company, the increase in the number of private medical laboratories in Ukraine indicates a systematic increase in demand for their services. At the same time, competition between laboratories has a positive impact on the quality and cost of analysis.
He predicts that the market will continue to develop in the future, making it easier to open new laboratories and improve existing ones. This, in turn, will increase competition, which will further reduce prices and improve the quality of medical services.
For his part, Maksim Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center, emphasized that the study confirms the trend of increasing demand for private medical laboratories among Ukrainians.
“The survey data indicate an increase in confidence in the private medical sector and its capabilities. At the same time, the high level of competition in the market encourages laboratories to innovate, improve diagnostic accuracy and customer service. This trend is a positive signal for all market participants, as improving the quality of medical services and making them accessible to more people contributes to the overall improvement of the health of the Ukrainian population,” said the founder of Experts Club.
ADONIS Medical Group has launched corporate rehabilitation programs for demobilized employees of companies.
According to the medical group’s press release, ADONIS rehabilitation programs include a wide range of services to restore the physical, psychological and social status of patients.
Specifically, the program includes preparation for prosthetics and rehabilitation after prosthetic fitting, rehabilitation after gunshot wounds, shrapnel fractures of bones, burn injuries, including skin repair, and restoration of movement amplitude for contractures to maximize mobility after injuries.
“Initiatives like this not only contribute to the physical recovery of military personnel, but also impact their overall well-being and integration into active life. Companies like MHP set an example of civic responsibility and caring for their employees,” the medical group reported.
At the same time, ADONIS noted that it is ready to “cooperate with other corporations that value their employees and want to help them during this important period.”
“The return of servicemen to peaceful life is a difficult journey that requires not only physical recovery, but also psychological and social support. We develop programs taking into account the requests of companies,” ADONIS emphasized.
ADONIS is a network of private medical centers for adults and children. ADONIS private clinic was founded more than 25 years ago. Its network includes seven branches in Kiev and the region, including a rehabilitation center and a stem cell laboratory. Doctors at the clinic’s branches provide treatment in 65 medical fields. In war conditions, ADONIS branches with surgical units provide quality medical care to military and civilians.
In response to the growing need for comprehensive support for wounded who have been seriously injured in the war zone, a modern rehabilitation hub is being built in Kyiv. This project was implemented thanks to the cooperation of the Center for Saving Lives, the Association of Osteo-Integrative Prosthetics and the Esculab Laboratories network.
“Our center was created to provide our military with the best possible assistance in recovering from severe injuries. We provide not only physical rehabilitation with the help of modern equipment, but also psychological support,” said Vyacheslav Zaporozhets, director of the Center for Saving Lives charitable foundation.
According to him, the project is unique in that it uses not only the most advanced technologies for physical rehabilitation, but also creates conditions for social adaptation and moral recovery of the military.
“We want every wounded soldier who has undergone amputation to be able to return to a full life,” emphasized Mr. Zaporozhets.
In his turn, co-founder of the Esculab laboratory, Serhiy Dyadyushko, also noted the importance of the work for the veterans’ recovery.
“The network of laboratories “Esculab” is not only about business. We are honored to be a part of this project. Our participation is not limited to financing; we are also actively involved in the process of education and training of specialists, which allows us to maintain a high level of services provided at the center,” he emphasized.
The center will be equipped to the highest standards, including anti-gravity walkways and group exercise spaces that allow patients to feel comfortable and safe during their rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation center is being built on a 500-square-meter area and includes a modern walking laboratory, a wrestling room, a cardio zone, a strength training zone, a dental office, two physiotherapy rooms, a meditation and sleep room, an occupational therapy kitchen, a mini shooting range, locker rooms and showers, etc. The center can accommodate 30 patients at a time.
The project is part of a larger initiative aimed at creating a network of similar centers across the country to ensure access to high-quality rehabilitation services for all victims.
“Eskulab is a network of medical laboratories of international quality of diagnostic tests based in Lviv and has one of the largest networks of branches in Ukraine. The network includes more than 100 sampling points in the cities and towns of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Rivne, Volyn regions and Kyiv. “Eskulab provides patients with the opportunity to take tests at their place of residence and receive highly accurate results. In February 2020, Esculab Medical Laboratory underwent a voluntary assessment of its measurement capabilities in accordance with the requirements of DSTU ISO 10012:2005 “Measurement management systems. Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment” to confirm technical competence and received a Certificate of Conformity of the measurement management system. Today, Esculab performs more than 820 types of laboratory tests.
You can learn more about the initiative to build a rehabilitation hub in the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel here:
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On Saturday, March 2, Kyiv will host a training seminar “First Aid for Injuries and Traumas” specially designed for journalists and bloggers. The event is organized by the Experts Club Kyiv Analytical Center with the support of its medical partner, ADONIS Medical Center Group, and its general partner, Pryirpinia Community Foundation.
The training aims to teach participants the basics of first aid in case of injuries and traumas, which is an important knowledge for everyone in times of war.
The seminar will be conducted by an anesthesiologist and co-author of 12 scientific publications, Mariana Bolyuk, who is a representative of the ADONIS Medical Center Group.
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Doctors note an increase in the number of preventive examinations and referrals related to advanced forms of diseases.
“We are now seeing an increase in the number of preventive examinations in various areas. At the same time, we have a situation with surgical interventions for more advanced forms of problems,” Vadym Zukin, chief operating officer of the Leleka multidisciplinary medical center, told Interfax-Ukraine.
He emphasized that “in 2022, many Ukrainians cared less about their health for obvious reasons.”
“We are already feeling the negative impact of the war on public health. This applies even to those who were not directly affected by the war,” said the director of the medical center.
Zukin also noted that the clinic has seen an increase in demand for pregnancy management services.
“We predict that compared to the first half of 2023, the number of births in Kyiv will gradually increase over the next six months and in early 2024, but these figures will be quite far from the pre-war levels,” he said.
At the same time, according to Zukin, Ukraine currently has a “very strange situation with vaccination,” in particular due to a shortage of vaccines.
“Everyone recognizes that it is useful, patients are willing to pay for it themselves, but there is a significant shortage of many vaccines in Ukraine,” he said.
Commenting on the prospects for regional development, particularly in the de-occupied regions, Zukin noted that he currently sees no opportunities for regional development.
“Opening regional branches of the medical center requires significant investments. Moreover, our institution is 99% funded by patients’ donations. At the same time, we need to understand that quality medicine is quite expensive. Therefore, despite our great desire to help the population of the de-occupied territories, it is too early to talk about opening branches there,” he said.
At the same time, Zukin believes that “under the current conditions, it is impossible to launch medical institutions as serious market players in those areas.”
Commenting on the effectiveness of private clinics’ participation in the national healthcare system, Zukin noted that “private medicine can be very useful for the general healthcare system due to its high management efficiency and flexibility.”
In turn, Vadym Shekman, CEO of Dobrobut Medical Network, said that one of the recent trends is that “medicine, which used to develop more actively in Kyiv, is now developing in Ukrainian regions, because there is a demand for quality medicine everywhere.”
“We are looking at this carefully not only from the perspective of potential acquisition of interesting institutions, but also from the perspective of possible partnership with regional clinics for which we can be a center of expertise. In fact, our goal and dream is to build a medical network of such a scale that high-quality medical care will be available to Ukrainians wherever they are,” he said.
Mr. Shekman noted that Dobrobut Medical Network “has always seen itself as a national player.”
“The plans to enter other cities with medical centers remain in force. The war has made adjustments to these plans, they have shifted slightly in time. We will realize these intentions after our victory,” he said.
At the same time, commenting on the possible prospects of opening clinics in the de-occupied regions, Shekman noted that “private medicine implies that a person has to pay for medical services out of his or her own pocket, and accordingly, the appropriate economic situation should be created in the de-occupied cities.”
“We would be happy to open in the liberated Ukrainian territories as soon as the opportunity arises,” he said.
In general, Shekman believes that “it is impossible to create a high-quality medical system without involving business.”
“Our state simply will not have enough money in the budget to rebuild and create the healthcare system we need. Healthcare in the world is becoming more expensive every day, and we must be ready to meet these challenges. Today, private healthcare is developing in Ukraine because there is a demand for quality healthcare and services. It cannot be said that many private healthcare facilities are now working with the NHSU, as the packages it offers do not include all costs and are lower than the cost of private clinics,” he said.
Mr. Shekman emphasized the importance of the fact that “the state has started to move towards private business.”
“To attract foreign investment, we need to create a system that is attractive to investors, so that they understand not only what to invest in, but also how they can get their money back. And this does not mean that healthcare will be exclusively paid for – in the context of competition, the cost of services usually decreases. And today, let’s be honest, there is no free medicine in Ukraine,” he said.
For his part, Serhiy Katsan, deputy director of the Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (Odesa) for Scientific and Medical Work, noted that recent trends include the consequences of an increase in the number of patients admitted to the clinic “with advanced stages of eye diseases, with complications, which further leads to longer treatment periods, inability to overcome the disease with therapeutic methods, and the need for surgical treatment…”.
“First of all, this concerns patients with inflammatory diseases of the eye and ophthalmic oncology. The number of patients in the department of microsurgical treatment of children’s eye diseases has also increased,” he said.
FILATOV INSTITUTE, MEDICAL EXAMINATION, MEDICINE, SERGIY_KATSAN, Лелека
