Penza, 1 April 2015. PenzaNews. The Public Council under the Ministry of Health of the Penza region has proposed the authorities to review the workload norms for doctors, said Yuri Orlov, chairman of the Public Council under the regional Ministry of Health.

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“Workload norms for doctors, especially clinic receptionists, have not been revised since 1994. Therefore, the Public Council has recommended the Ministry of Health to establish a committee for reviewing these standards, and we are awaiting for the minister’s [Vladimir Stryuchkov’s] decision,” he said during an extended meeting of the Penza region Public Chamber Board on Wednesday, April 1.

According to him, the 10-12 minutes per patient is often not enough for medical examination, especially for such specialists as neurologists, Ob/Gyns and orthopedists.

“Unfortunately, these regulations were approved by the current territorial program. If a physician meets the regulations, he receives a bonuses. And if not, he receives only the basic salary. This is why that issue requires a proper solution,” stressed the chairman of the Public Council.

Yuri Orlov added that it is still difficult to get to the hospital, especially to the departments of purulent surgery and toxicology of the Zakharyin Penza City Clinical Emergency Hospital, where the set limits are surpassed by almost 200%.

“This applies to the cardiology departments, too. During the checks in the corridors, the inspectors found a lot of patients in the halls, and there are beds outside the wards,” he explained.

Yuri Orlov noted that in this case there is also a discrepancy between the planned volumes of medical care and the actual demand for it, which in turn results in financial problems.

“We also offered to adjust these planned volumes, bring them in line with the demand,” he said.

According to the chairman of the Public Council, the medical care has become more available with the establishment of two clinic centers: the city clinic and the clinic operating at Zakharyin hospital.

“We do not have enough doctors, and specialists in particular. The Fifth hospital has a cardiologist, but the Third does not. And a patient belonging to hospital No. 3 cannot get help of a cardiologist. These patients had to make appointments in the regional hospital and wait for months. Now the cardiologist serves the whole city, and he accepts patients,” he explained.

Yuri Orlov also drew attention to the fact that the main objective of the Public Council is participation in the preliminary review and discussion of the validity of major public procurement carried out by the regional Health Ministry.

“Unfortunately, we have not been invited for two years. I do not know why,” he said, proposing to change the situation.