Healthcare in Romania
Encyclopedia
Health care in Romania
has lower standards than in the rest of the Union
. Although everyone in the urban area has access to fast medical assistance, in some rural areas access may be limited. For 2012, the allocated budget spending in the healthcare sector is 12 billion €, or roughly 5% of the GDP
. As of February 2011, there were 1.9 medics and 7.4 hospital beds per 1000 people.. The state-owned medical system was the target of decentralization initiated by the President Traian Băsescu
in 2006. The Romanian healthcare system is funded by the National Health Care Insurance Fund (CNAS in Romanian
). All employers and employees with the age of 18 and older must make monthly contributions. Due to the fairly modest public spending, it is believed that a third of the healthcare spending is out-of-pocket
. Furthermore, due to old Communist era habits, some Romanians
tend to bribe the doctor with the belief that they'll get better treatment.
has announced and proposed a completely new healthcare system. The main changes are: the privatization of all hospitals and public clinics, the replacement of the public NHCIS with private insurers and the mandatory contribution to a private healthcare contractor. As president Băsescu declared, "Hospitals must become Plcs
or charity institutions, the management must be privatized " Furthermore, the changes also mention the fact that diseases should be treated with local, generic medicine rather than expensive treatments and that doctors will be able to negotiate their salary. The people who are not required to co-pay are teens under the age of 18, people with a monthly income of less than 150€ or people without an income at all. The project is currently put out for public debates and the opinions are mixed.
and cancer
. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis
, syphilis
, and viral hepatitis
are more common than in Western Europe. A reason for this is the bad habit of some citizens who tend not to use soap on a regular basis. The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV
/AIDS
) is less than 0.1 percent. However, high rates of venereal disease, lack of education about HIV
prevention, and increasing intravenous drug use are factors that could increase the rate substantially in the future. The number of pediatric AIDS
cases is one of the highest in Europe because of unsafe blood transfusion
and inoculation
procedures for young children in hospitals and clinics in the last years of the communist era
. In 2006 an estimated 7,200 Romanians below age 20 had been infected in this way.
) This was around the time when foreign doctors were brought in to cure people.
The system has developed and by the mid 18th century, the aristocrats would send their children in Vienna
to study medicine and return home with knowledge. In 1859, the University of Iași opened the first medicine department in Romania (known as the Principates at that time).
In the course of the centuries, the healthcare system has improved and it is currently subject to reforms and further improvement. In the European Union
, Romania has the 25th (out of 27 member states) healthcare system, outranking Latvia
and Bulgaria
.
.
Colţea Hospital, in Bucharest
, was built by Mihai Cantacuzino between 1701 and 1703, composed of many buildings, each with 12 to 30 beds, a church, three chapels, a school, and doctors' and teachers' houses. In 2011, the hospital has been fully re-equipped and is now one of the most modern hospitals in Bucharest
.
Pantelimon Hospital was raised in 1733 by Grigore II Ghica
. The surface area of the Pantelimon Hospital land property was 400,000 m². The hospital had in its inventory a house for infectious diseases and a house for persons with disabilities. The hospital is still operational today.
St. Spiridon Hospital, in Iaşi
, opened in 1755, described in a document from 1757 as the largest in Moldavia
and Wallachia
, is nowadays the second largest in Romania.
Filantropia Hospital had a capacity of 70 beds and was built in 1806-1812, during the Russian occupation. The hospital is still operational today, but its medical facilities aren't as modern as other hospitals.
In 1830 the Brâncoveanu Hospital was inaugurated. The hospital worked on the same principle as a free clinic
, offering various vaccines/medical tests free of charge. However, the urban development led to the hospital building being demolished (and therefore its activity ceased) in the mid 20th Century.
At of 2011, there are ~450 hospitals (according to the Romanian Health Ministry, all the hospitals included in the count have at least one OR and a basic trauma center
. Romanian citizens are entitled to free medical assistance, regardless of the surgery type. Citizens of the European Union
are entitled to free emergency medical assistance. However, there have been several reported cases in which the patients have been required to provide medical supplies (e.g. tampons).
The Romanian healthcare system has many unsung heroes. During the 1828 plague in Bucharest, 21 out of 26 doctors died of plague whilst administering treatment for the disease.
In the 20th century, the Communist regime
encouraged students to join the medicine university. Doctors were usually given priority housing and had easier access to premium (roasted coffee beans, bananas etc) goods.
Since the fall of the Communist regime, there has been a decline of medical personnel. Many medicine graduates have gone to practice medicine in countries like France
, Italy
or Finland
due to better employment conditions. Another aspect worth mentioning is that Romanian medicine graduates tend to be very well prepared and have a lot of background knowledge, due to the rigorous curriculum and exigency among professors.
has been done in Romania
ever since the 17th century, when people used rudimentary methods of vaccination, such as dipping newborns into cow milk coming from cows with smallpox.However, due to the increasing number of doctors, more modern methods of vaccination have been introduced. As of 1800, the children were being administered a regular smallpox shot.
From the 19th century up until today, it has became compulsory that all children get vaccinated against Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, Tetanus, Polio, Rubella and Diphtheria. The vaccines are free of charge and can be done at any authorized pediatrics medic.
Additional optional vaccines such as the one against the Flu are also provided free of charge on a bi-yearly basis.
Private medical insurances are affordable (€30-60 p.m. on average) and these policies usually grant access to private hospitals. Private hospitals in Romania are more luxurious and more patient-friendly than the regular public hospitals.
Romanian Partners for the Pilot are:
Health care systems have improved in Romania since the fall of the Ceauşescu regime
in 1989.
External links=
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
has lower standards than in the rest of the Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Although everyone in the urban area has access to fast medical assistance, in some rural areas access may be limited. For 2012, the allocated budget spending in the healthcare sector is 12 billion €, or roughly 5% of the GDP
Economy of Romania
Romania has a developing, upper-middle income market economy, the 11th largest in the European Union by total nominal GDP and the 8th largest based on purchasing power parity...
. As of February 2011, there were 1.9 medics and 7.4 hospital beds per 1000 people.. The state-owned medical system was the target of decentralization initiated by the President Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
in 2006. The Romanian healthcare system is funded by the National Health Care Insurance Fund (CNAS in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
). All employers and employees with the age of 18 and older must make monthly contributions. Due to the fairly modest public spending, it is believed that a third of the healthcare spending is out-of-pocket
Out-of-pocket expenses
Out-of-pocket expenses are direct outlays of cash which may or may not be later reimbursed.In operating a vehicle, gasoline, parking fees and tolls are considered out-of-pocket expenses for the trip...
. Furthermore, due to old Communist era habits, some Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
tend to bribe the doctor with the belief that they'll get better treatment.
2011 proposal of privatization
In November 2011, the GovernmentGovernment of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
has announced and proposed a completely new healthcare system. The main changes are: the privatization of all hospitals and public clinics, the replacement of the public NHCIS with private insurers and the mandatory contribution to a private healthcare contractor. As president Băsescu declared, "Hospitals must become Plcs
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
or charity institutions, the management must be privatized " Furthermore, the changes also mention the fact that diseases should be treated with local, generic medicine rather than expensive treatments and that doctors will be able to negotiate their salary. The people who are not required to co-pay are teens under the age of 18, people with a monthly income of less than 150€ or people without an income at all. The project is currently put out for public debates and the opinions are mixed.
Most common causes of death
The most common causes of death are cardiovascular diseaseCardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
, and viral hepatitis
Viral hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation due to a viral infection. It may present in acute or chronic forms. The most common causes of viral hepatitis are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E...
are more common than in Western Europe. A reason for this is the bad habit of some citizens who tend not to use soap on a regular basis. The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
) is less than 0.1 percent. However, high rates of venereal disease, lack of education about HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
prevention, and increasing intravenous drug use are factors that could increase the rate substantially in the future. The number of pediatric AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
cases is one of the highest in Europe because of unsafe blood transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
and inoculation
Inoculation
Inoculation is the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease...
procedures for young children in hospitals and clinics in the last years of the communist era
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
. In 2006 an estimated 7,200 Romanians below age 20 had been infected in this way.
Romanian health system
The first concept of public healthcare appeared in 1700. (in the areas of the Contemporary RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
) This was around the time when foreign doctors were brought in to cure people.
The system has developed and by the mid 18th century, the aristocrats would send their children in Vienna
Medical University of Vienna
The Medical University of Vienna is a medical university in Vienna, Austria.Formerly the faculty of medicine of the University of Vienna, became an independent university on January 1, 2004...
to study medicine and return home with knowledge. In 1859, the University of Iași opened the first medicine department in Romania (known as the Principates at that time).
In the course of the centuries, the healthcare system has improved and it is currently subject to reforms and further improvement. In the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Romania has the 25th (out of 27 member states) healthcare system, outranking Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
Hospitals in Romania
This is a list of the most historically relevant hospitals in RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Colţea Hospital, in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, was built by Mihai Cantacuzino between 1701 and 1703, composed of many buildings, each with 12 to 30 beds, a church, three chapels, a school, and doctors' and teachers' houses. In 2011, the hospital has been fully re-equipped and is now one of the most modern hospitals in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.
Pantelimon Hospital was raised in 1733 by Grigore II Ghica
Grigore II Ghica
Grigore II Ghica was Voivode of Moldavia at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 to April 1748 — and twice Voivode of Wallachia: April 16, 1733 – November 27, 1735 and...
. The surface area of the Pantelimon Hospital land property was 400,000 m². The hospital had in its inventory a house for infectious diseases and a house for persons with disabilities. The hospital is still operational today.
St. Spiridon Hospital, in Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, opened in 1755, described in a document from 1757 as the largest in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, is nowadays the second largest in Romania.
Filantropia Hospital had a capacity of 70 beds and was built in 1806-1812, during the Russian occupation. The hospital is still operational today, but its medical facilities aren't as modern as other hospitals.
In 1830 the Brâncoveanu Hospital was inaugurated. The hospital worked on the same principle as a free clinic
Free clinic
A free clinic is a medical facility offering community healthcare on a free or very low-cost basis in countries with marginal or no universal health care. Care is generally provided in these clinics to persons who have lower or limited income and no health insurance, including persons who are not...
, offering various vaccines/medical tests free of charge. However, the urban development led to the hospital building being demolished (and therefore its activity ceased) in the mid 20th Century.
At of 2011, there are ~450 hospitals (according to the Romanian Health Ministry, all the hospitals included in the count have at least one OR and a basic trauma center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
. Romanian citizens are entitled to free medical assistance, regardless of the surgery type. Citizens of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
are entitled to free emergency medical assistance. However, there have been several reported cases in which the patients have been required to provide medical supplies (e.g. tampons).
Romanian doctors
The Romanian healthcare system has been in existence since 1700. At that time, the doctors were primarily from France, Italy or Austria (in Transylvania). The first Romanian doctors graduated with degrees in medicine from universities in Vienna and Paris at the beginning of the 19th century (such as Ştefan Manega or Ioan Serafim).The Romanian healthcare system has many unsung heroes. During the 1828 plague in Bucharest, 21 out of 26 doctors died of plague whilst administering treatment for the disease.
In the 20th century, the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
encouraged students to join the medicine university. Doctors were usually given priority housing and had easier access to premium (roasted coffee beans, bananas etc) goods.
Since the fall of the Communist regime, there has been a decline of medical personnel. Many medicine graduates have gone to practice medicine in countries like France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
or Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
due to better employment conditions. Another aspect worth mentioning is that Romanian medicine graduates tend to be very well prepared and have a lot of background knowledge, due to the rigorous curriculum and exigency among professors.
Vaccination
VaccinationVaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
has been done in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
ever since the 17th century, when people used rudimentary methods of vaccination, such as dipping newborns into cow milk coming from cows with smallpox.However, due to the increasing number of doctors, more modern methods of vaccination have been introduced. As of 1800, the children were being administered a regular smallpox shot.
From the 19th century up until today, it has became compulsory that all children get vaccinated against Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, Tetanus, Polio, Rubella and Diphtheria. The vaccines are free of charge and can be done at any authorized pediatrics medic.
Additional optional vaccines such as the one against the Flu are also provided free of charge on a bi-yearly basis.
Private healthcare network
In the past ten years, private medical insurances and private clinics have gotten quite popular, probably due to the agglomeration and shortages in hospitals.Private medical insurances are affordable (€30-60 p.m. on average) and these policies usually grant access to private hospitals. Private hospitals in Romania are more luxurious and more patient-friendly than the regular public hospitals.
Medical universities and faculties
- Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timişoara
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and PharmacyCarol Davila University of Medicine and PharmacyCarol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy is a state-run health sciences University in Bucharest, Romania. It is the largest institution of its kind in Romania with over 2.865 employees, 1.654 teachers and over 4.800 students...
of Bucharest - Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iaşi
- Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and PharmacyIuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and PharmacyIuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy is the continuation of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, which was founded in 1919 at Cluj, as a part of the University of Cluj. The faculty has over 9,000 national and international students, as well as over 850 teachers and...
of Cluj-Napoca - University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu MureşUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu MureşThe University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureș or UMF Targu-Mureș is a public university in Târgu Mureș, Romania, founded in 1948 as Institutul Medico-Farmaceutic...
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Ovidius University of Constanţa
- Victor Papilian Faculty of Medicine of the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of University of OradeaUniversity of OradeaThe University of Oradea is a public University, located in Oradea, in North-Western Romania.With its four colleges and 18 faculties, has a total of 123 fields of study for undergraduates and 151 post-graduate specialisation degrees...
- Faculty of Medicine of Transilvania University of Braşov
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Lower Danube University of Galaţi
- Faculty of Medicine of the Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad (a private university)
Telemedicine
Romanian National Partnership in TelemedicineTelemedicine
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities...
Romanian Partners for the Pilot are:
- "Sfântul Ioan" Hospital, Bucharest;
- University Hospital, Bucharest;
- Military Hospital, Bucharest;
- Floreasca Emergency Hospital;
- "Victor Babeş" Hospital, Bucharest;
- "Sfânta Maria" Hospital, Bucharest.
- "Sfântul Spiridon" Hospital, Iaşi;
- Craiova County Hospital;
- Timişoara County Hospital;
- Târgu Mureş County Hospital;
Health care systems have improved in Romania since the fall of the Ceauşescu regime
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
in 1989.
External links=
- Romania: health profile from the DFID Health Resource Centre.
- Healthcare Systems in Transition: A Profile on Romania from the World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
- Bribes for basic care in Romania from The Guardian WeeklyThe Guardian WeeklyThe Guardian Weekly is a weekly newspaper published by the Guardian Media Group and is one of the world's oldest international newspapers. It was founded with the aim of spreading progressive British ideas into America after the First World War...