Market participants ask the Ministry of Health to develop appropriate requirements and tariffs for execution of new functions

Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbayeva requested to develop a mechanism of mutually beneficial partnerships between medical institutions and accommodations points- hotels, health resorts and recreation and retreat center for market development of rehabilitation services in Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Health shall establish the necessary requirements for institutions and on 15^th of May to bring them to the government. In order to meet the orders of Deputy Prime Minister at the site of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan "Atameken" was held a meeting, which was attended by representatives of the hospitality industry, health centers, the Ministry of Health, professional associations and health care organizations. The moderator of the meeting was the deputy chairman of NCE Yuliya Yakupbaeva.

"We analyzed the international experience. Since the questions of medical rehabilitation is very well developed in Germany, we looked at its experience. There are 350 rehabilitation centers and health resorts, which offer treatment in all areas of medicine. Rehabilitation Clinics in Germany are very diverse, from the highly specialized to multilateral organizations, and include a wide range of services. Each German clinic specializes in the treatment of specific diseases, such as treatment after various injuries and operations: locomotor system, brain stroke, myocardial infarction. There are several stages of medical rehabilitation: at the level of emergency care, early rehabilitation, further rehabilitation, sanatorium rehabilitation treatment, aftercare, social and vocational rehabilitation. Sport rehabilitation takes a special place, so that athletes are able to return as soon as possible to full training. Rehabilitation programs for each patient are always strictly individual, with reasonable alternation of load and rest phases, under the close supervision of qualified doctors. Funding comes both from the state and through private insurance companies. In the transition to compulsory health insurance, we also need to develop the rehabilitation market", - said Yakupbaeva.

According to her, in Kazakhstan rehabilitation services are included in the SGBP (state guaranteed benefit package), but they have very low rates, they are funded by a residual principle. "And, in fact, despite the fact that we have declared several directions of rehabilitation, some of them do not operate. Travel agencies, hotels and health resorts are ready to participate in the provision of such services, provided that tariffs will be revised, and if it has not social, but medical specialization", - added the deputy chairman of NCE.

The representative of the Ministry of Health Lyazzat Suleimenova told about how the rehabilitation treatment is executed in Kazakhstan. "At outpatient level, we have early and continued rehabilitation. It is aimed at preventing the development of clinical manifestations of the disease, complications and to ensure optimal recovery process. At the outpatient stage we render early, continued and extended rehabilitation, aimed at the complete or partial restoration of lost functions of the body, to maintain body functions. The third stage – is health resort, which ensures contnued and late rehabilitation ", - she said.

According to Suleimenova, medical rehabilitation and recovery treatment in the country is carried out in 108 organizations, private - 7%, and the rest – state ones.

Head of Health Chamber Daulethan Yesimov expressed his view on the situation. "I visited 10 hotels in Borovoe, where there are about 60 thousand beds. They are ready to take part in the rehabilitation of patients. They have rooms, they just need to be equipped. All of this depends on tariffs and building codes. The requirements are too stringent, they should be eased", - he said.

Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Association of Hotels and Restaurants Natalia Sergeenkova also assured that market participants are willing to engage in provision of rehabilitation services, but lamented to the fact that there is no clear regulation of the provision of such in Kazakhstan. "We need to develop a program of mutual relations of medical institutions and accommodation for patients, comprising changes in tariffs, specific requirements and settlement rules. We understand that the rates will not be high. The question is, will they be able to compensate for the cost of living ", - she said.

The representatives of medical organizations, in turn, noted that the need to develop a list of minimum medical equipment that can be purchased in rent, lease or compensated within the framework of investment programs. It was also proposed to develop a more transparent procedure for tenders and to study the issue of concessional financing for the construction of rehabilitation centers. Representatives of the "Medicare" expressed willingness to participate in the construction of schools for training.

By the way, as it turned out at the meeting, the International Kazakh-Turkish University named Yasavi has the faculty of oriental medicine, the graduates of which have difficulties with employment. In this regard, "Medicare" immediately announced its intention to discuss cooperation with the university.

"In order to attract our citizens to obtain medical rehabilitation services in Kazakhstan, rather than abroad, it is necessary to increase the customer focus of medical institutions, personnel training, the introduction of standards of hospitality and communication. Currently, the standard  Joint Commission International (JCI, International Joint Commission) is recognized as "gold standard" of health services and medical care unconditionally. The introduction of JCI standards and improvement of the quality of services, training of medical staff to standards of hospitality will contribute to the development of international medical tourism, and Kazakhstani residents would undergo treatment at home", - said the president of the Metropolitan Association of Tourism Rysty Karabaeva.

Summing up the meeting, the deputy head of the Board of NCE stressed that if clear transparent requirements will be developed for participation in a rehabilitation program with the graduation of services from simple to more complex, the rates will be revised, the business is ready to participate in the provision of rehabilitation services within the SGBP". "Today we conduct fairly complex surgeries. But then what? How should a patient recover? In this connection, process of restoration of physical, occupational or social abilities of patients, carrying out rehabilitation procedures, is very important. Probably, you will need to develop a road map, to develop a mechanism of mutually beneficial partnerships between medical institutions, health resorts and spas to provide rehabilitation services and then to work on it ", - she said.