Slovenia’s health care can look forward to radical changes. The ministry is preparing amendments to the Health Services Act, which would affect the systematic regulation for awarding concessions. The action has prompted a reaction from the Association of health care centers in Slovenia, which wishes to present its views on the matter.

"We stress that public health care has to be implemented through the country’s public health institutes. As an exception, it can also be performed by concession holders, who we accept and are an integral part of our system. However, only in places and times when public health institutes are not able to successfully carry out the programs due to inaccessibility, staffing or financial problems, and other reasons," explained the head of the association, Metod Mezek, and criticized the practice when "despite the satisfaction of patients and the opposition of heath care centres, programs are transferred on to a concession holder".

The association proposes that the management of the public health institutes have more tools and levers at their disposal to manage the health care centres. Regarding staffing policies, Mezek says the powers the directors have are often limited, and adds that they should have the possibility to dismiss and award employees, and that the whole thing should be more stimulating.

Mezek suggests that the management at public health institutes should also be stimulated with bonuses, as "it is one of the reasons why some key health care centres are still without a director. It is difficult to find a capable and responsible manager with such a salary stimulation offered by the public system".

The changes should bring medical specializations closer to the health institutes. "The content of the medical specialization is professional, there is no question about that. However, regarding the selection of the specialists and their integration, they should be involved in the work of the health institute, for which they are specializing, from the very beginning," said Mezek. A burning issue are also the procedures of naming members on professional councils. Mezek adds that members should be named based on their professional and not political competences, and called for more order in that area.

Gorazd Kosmač, translated by K. J.