Banking on Health Facilitates Roundtable with Policy Makers, Financial Institutions, Family Doctors’ Associations and Others in Romania
The Banking on Health Project, an Abt Associates' led project funded by USAID, presented market research on the financing and training needs of small scale health service providers and distributors in Romania on February 15, 2007 at a roundtable hosted by the USAID funded Romania Family Health Initiative Project.
Participants hailed from the Ministry of Public Health, the National Health Insurance House, Family Doctors’ Associations, Banks, Microfinance Institutions, USAID, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and other stakeholders in the area of reproductive health and family planning in Romania. The nationally-conducted research included findings on the current financial situation of family doctors, pharmacies and others, as well as their attitudes towards running and reinvesting in their practices. The findings painted a clear picture of how these doctors, the foundation of primary health care and family planning for the underserved, are faring under the capitated health care system. The meeting was a unique opportunity for the various actors in the sector to discuss and air their views in light of the research findings.
In Romania, private small-scale health providers and distributors, such as family doctors and rural pharmacies, are the main sources of family planning and reproductive health services and products for those in underserved communities. The more than 10,000 family doctors in the country currently face barriers to accessing finance, and have shown in Banking on Health assessments that they are interested in accessing finance to grow and improve their practices.
Banking on Health is working in Romania to sustain the long-term gains that have been made in women’s health as USAID plans to phase out funding. Family doctors are credited as being a key factor in the Romania success story. Banking on Health is working in Romania with five banks and microfinance institutions to increase financing for family doctors and other providers of reproductive health and family planning services. Banking on Health’s work with financial institutions includes providing market information and technical assistance in marketing and health sector product development. Banking on Health is also working with family doctors to improve the viability of their practices. Banking on Health designed the course “Enhancing the Financial Health of the Medical Practice: The Key to Sustaining Reproductive Health and Other Services.” This three-day financial management course has been piloted in each of the eight development regions of the country. The courses were attended by 140 family doctors. These doctors, working in a capitated system, are keen to improve their abilities to effectively manage their practices and plan for investment. Proceedings from the policy roundtable meeting will be published and disseminated shortly by the Banking on Health Project.
