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Healthcare: COPAC Study: Medicine shortage, main problem of chronic patients
The lack of medicines, especially new ones, which are not available in Romania, is the main problem of chronic patients in their relations with the health system, according to a study released by the Coalition of Chronic Patients in Romania (COPAC).
The study “Report on chronic patients’ access to health system in Romania”, made and presented by associate professor Dr. Florentina Furtunescu (National Public Health Institute), shows that 43% of respondents invoked medicine shortages, 20% the time wasted because of crowds, 19% the medical staff’s attitude, who do not held them feel welcome.
46% of respondents are dissatisfied for the lack of new medicines in Romania, while 9% express their discontent that treatments are available but not compensated and they cannot afford them.
On the other hand, 43% of people interviewed say they reached their diagnosis over a period of 6 months or more, 30% show they did not have access to specialist physicians able to treat their illness in their town, while 57% say they made direct payments for tests during treatment, and 42% say they benefited from free investigations over that period of time.
The study shows that 69% of respondents were admitted to hospital last year, while 38% say they could not find the medicines they needed in hospital.
80% of subjects needed surgical interventions, half of them being operated in a larger town because of the lack of specialists in the respective pathology, lack of equipment and lack of confidence or communication with physicians in the area where they lived. Others wanted to go to a more performing hospital.
The study was made online, with the support of the Embassy of France, over December 1, 2017,- March 15, 2018, on a sample of 258 patients, mostly women -78%, aged between 18 and 68.
Because the respondents had at least higher education (43%), Dr. Florentina Furtunescu said the situation could be worse at the level of the entire population.
Furtunescu pointed out that the respondents’ selection methodology, by means of patient organizations, limited the conclusions of the study, which could not be generalised to all Chrinic patients in Romania.
She also emphasized the need for broader preoccupations in defining the patient’s trajectory in the health system and for ensuring continuity among various levels and services.