Pediatricians in clinics will be available to patients every working day of the week within their surgery hours., of which at least one day will be ordained by the 16th hour. The health department thus strengthens the availability of daily outpatient care for children and adolescents. At the same time, from 1 July outpatient emergency services for children will operate until 20 o'clock.
Even in the evening, the same pediatricians who provide day care for their children in their offices serve on outpatient emergency services. According to the amendment agreed by Parliament, pediatricians will be available every working day during the week (total 35 hours a week), of which one day to 16 hours. This will allow parents of children with a health problem to visit the pediatrician's office during the day during the office hours. At the same time, from 1 July outpatient emergency services for children will run from 16 to 20 hours and on weekends from 8 to 20 hours.
Primary pediatricians in Slovakia provide medical care in ambulances for more than 1.1 million children. The situation in primary paediatrics is serious. In the current network, we lack 20 percent of outpatient doctors for children, and since almost half of primary paediatricians are in retirement age, their shortage will only deepen. The main objective of the changes is to ensure that paediatric ambulances are available to patients, especially during the day, and that emergency services for children and adolescents are available to an extent that respects the maintenance of child care in the existing shortage of primary paediatrics.
The health department discussed these changes with paediatricians as well as with all the constitutional health establishments operating paediatric departments, paediatric constitutional emergency services or paediatric emergency revenues. The proposal was also communicated with representatives of self-governing regions and representatives of the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia.