After eight months of operation, the family doctor's office of PZU Nikob Medikal, in the Health Center - Skopje Shuto Orizari, is closed. Namely, from 01.08.2022, without any notification and registration, the family doctor's office does not work. The doctor was hired by PZU Nikob Medical, and with 169 registered patients who chose her as their family doctor. After the doctor's departure, these patients are faced with a huge problem: they cannot choose a family doctor, because the other family doctors in the The health center - Skopje Shuto Orizaricannot accept them due to a large number of patients. Part of the patients cannot prescribe the regular chronic therapy as well as the necessary analyzes and examinations related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We found out about this when a patient of the doctor called for an examination for sick leave, but could not regulate it because the office is closed and there is no active registration with the family doctor. This further worsened the situation at the workplace where he was before his dismissal.
In order to find out the situation with the practice, we sent requests for access to public information to: The health center - Skopje PZU Nikob Medikal and the Health Insurance Fund.
As a response from PZU NIKOB MEDICAL, we received that the reason the doctor left was that she had only 169 patients, a small and insufficient number for a family doctor. The large costs and expenses in terms of equipment, space and staff were also cited as reasons for the departure. as well as that they were generated
After receiving a response from PZU NIKOV MEDICAL, we found out that the doctor has concluded an employment contract with PZU Nikob Medical from May 28, 2022. The reason for the closure is that large costs and expenses were generated in terms of space, equipment and staff. Despite the expectations that a large number of patients need a family doctor in general medicine, only 169 patients were registered at NIKOB MEDICAL Skopje PHU in the premises of the Health Center in Shuto Orizari.
We received a response from the Health Insurance Fund of the Republic of North Macedonia (FZORSM) that the doctor has concluded a contract with PZU NIKOB MEDICAL from 22.09.2021 to 31.12.2026. The termination of the doctor's employment with an effective date of August 5, 2022 has been determined by the Fund's Database, with the reason of an amicable termination of employment. With the same date, all patients who have chosen her as their family doctor will be registered.
The health center - Skopje Shuto Orizari answered us that they do not have any data and that the owner of that information is exclusively the legal entity PZU NIKOB MEDICAL. They informed us that The health center - Skopje Shuto Orizari, as a provider of space for the performance of healthcare activities, will continue to publish advertisements for the issuance of general medicine offices in the mentioned polyclinic, with the aim of smooth, continuous development of the activity and improvement of the health status of the citizens from this municipality.
According to our field information from the community, we have information that during this period, although a small number of patients have chosen the family doctor as their family doctor, they state that they turned to the practice and were rejected due to "collegiality".
At the same time, we remind the Ministry of Health and the competent institutions that the outpatient clinic in Shuto Orizari needs family doctors' offices and systemic and permanent solutions together with the Health Insurance Fund of the Republic of North Macedonia to introduce changes in the valuation of the capitation point and additional favorable motivational financial resources for new concessionaires where they are lacking.
It is necessary for Zdravstven dom - Skopje to immediately and urgently appoint a manager for management in Shuto Orizari!
Family doctors should be accessible to everyone, otherwise the residents of the Shuto Orizari municipality will face risky consequences for their health, and an equal, proportional territorial distribution of family doctors is needed!
Society Initiative for Women's Rights by Shuto Orizari
