GOVERNMENT APPROVES NEW METHODS OF FINANCING FAMILY DOCTORS

YEREVAN, JULY 15. ARMINFO. The RA Government has approved the “Pilot
public health program of organizing primary health care and
elaborating new methods of financing family doctors.”

Talking to journalists, First Deputy Minister of Health Haik Darbinyan
reported that a patient receives medical assistance from his family
doctor free of charge. The patient pay for the medical examination his
family doctor prescribes to him. The family doctor’s services will be
financed from the state budget. The Government pledges to pay 2,800
AMD for each child-patient and 1,302 AMD for each adult annually. The
minimum, optimal and maximum number of patients for each family doctor
has been determined – 1,000, 1,700 and 2,300 respectively. According
to Darbinyan, the salaries of family doctors will exceed those of
doctors at outpatient clinics by 50% and amount to 50,000 AMD a month.
Darbinyan reported that about 25,000 residents have been registered
for examination by family doctors in Yerevan’s Erebuni community
alone.

Darbinyan pointed out that under the WB’s credit program, 276 Armenian
doctors were trained as family doctors in 2003-2004,m and eight of
them studied abroad. However, he said that the country needs 1,700
family doctors. Darbinyan reported that about 200 medical nurses have
been retained. Besides, 81 medical outpatient clinics were repaired
and equipped for family doctors. Darbinyan reported that another 20
clinics are to be constructed under the WB’s 2nd credit program for
2004-2008.