About 800,000 people in Bulgaria have a valid TELK decision, and their number is growing. This was stated by the co-chairman of “Yes, Bulgaria“ Bozhidar Bojanov in an interview for the program “12+3“ on the Bulgarian National Radio.
According to him, some of the decisions may be fake or illegally issued. Bojanov gave an example of a residential block in Varna, in front of which there are 11 places for people with disabilities. “There is simply a doctor who participates in TELK decisions“, he said, specifying that the case should be verified, not accepted as evidence of a violation.
Artificial intelligence will guide the checks
Bozhanov said that for the third time a legislative solution for automatic control of the medical expertise system is being proposed. According to him, the bill, submitted by deputies from “Yes, Bulgaria“, received support at first reading with full consensus. On October 14, the National Assembly adopted at first reading proposals for the introduction of automated risk assessment in TELK decisions.
The idea is for a specialized artificial intelligence model to detect inconsistencies and unusual combinations of data, and then direct the control bodies to risky cases. As examples, Bozhanov cited dementia in a 30-year-old person or an unusually large number of disability decisions in the same building.
“The discovery of an anomaly does not mean that a pension is suspended, but that an inspection by the TELK, NELK or the Ministry of Health can be directed,“ he explained.
Data can remain in the state infrastructure
According to Bozhanov, automated risk assessment does not mean uploading epikrisis to public services such as “Chat Jeepiti“. He stated that the system can be built as a specialized model, installed in the state cloud infrastructure, with limited access and deleted personal data.
Bozhanov pointed out that until now, inspections have been carried out according to previously written rules and the accumulation of certain conditions. According to him, artificial intelligence can more dynamically compile risk profiles and detect anomalies, without this in itself proving abuse.
Electronic submission of documents for TELK
The bill also provides for easing the administrative procedure for people who apply for TELK. Documents will be able to be submitted electronically, without the need for a qualified electronic signature. A similar proposal has been included in previous legislative initiatives for changes in medical expertise.
According to Bozanov, more effective control would limit unlawfully issued decisions and would free up funds for people in real need of support, including for personal assistants. He emphasized that the final determination of a violation should be made after an inspection by the competent authorities, and not through an automatic software solution.