The Alliance of Chronic Patients (APCR) signed on Thursday a collaboration protocol with the Healthcare minister Eugen Nicolaescu, as part of a larger reform program pursued by the ministry, which aims to switch treatment focus from hospitals to ambulatory and intensify prevention practices.

Nicolaescu said the budget of the National Insurance Body (CNAS) has been increased by 50 percent for ambulatory services. The government wants Romanians suffering from less serious illness to be treated in ambulatory units, in order to prevent overcrowding of hospitals. Furthermore, officials hope this measure will cut costs in hospitals and streamline treatment. The minister said that hospitals are still burning a hole in public budget and wants the traditional circuit of general practitioner to specialized ambulatory and hospital to be respected.

Source: business-review.ro