Former Minister of Health Dr. Miroslav Nenkov described as an "ugly demonstration of power" the manner in which doctors from the St. George University Hospital in Plovdiv were detained. The doctors are linked to an investigation into an alleged organized crime group in the medical facility.
According to the prosecutor's office, the embezzlement of about 3 million euros from the National Health Insurance Fund over three years is being investigated. Nenkov said that if the allegations are confirmed, responsibility should be sought. However, according to him, the violations should have been established much earlier by the control bodies.
„These are doctors. They will not hide, flee abroad, go to Thailand. They can be summoned and will appear, and not be arrested like monkeys“, said Nenkov.Issues of control over the hospital
Nenkov pointed out that the discrepancies between the number of beds and the number of hospitalizations should have been established by the regional health insurance fund. He said that inspections were carried out in the medical institution, but they did not establish any violations.
“Suddenly the heroic prosecutor's office appears and catches them. And they make circuses with colleagues who may bear their own sin. And if they carry it, they should bear their responsibility“, commented the former Minister of Health.
The conversation on bTV discussed data according to which there was a goal to generate at least 360 thousand euros per month from hospitalizations. It was stated that in the alleged scheme, foreign blood and copies of ID cards were used to replace documents and account for subsequent hospitalizations.
Criticism of the financing model
Nenkov stated that fictitious hospitalizations are not an isolated problem and linked the risk of such practices to financing through clinical pathways.
As an example, the former minister cited a patient who needed an MRI scan but could not receive a referral in time. According to him, such difficulties can lead to a fictitious admission to a hospital in order to conduct the examination.
“Here is a drain on the Health Fund. In fact, this should have been caught a long time ago, and not by the police and the prosecutor's office, but by the medical control bodies, by the analytical departments of the Health Fund“, said Nenkov.
According to him, changing the model requires political will and support for experts who can propose a new way of financing.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg