More before surgery
What do you have to bring for the operation before hospital admission?
Bring with you all available medical documentation. Let the surgeon and the anesthesiologist assess which of them could help to establish your current health condition. Most important are the latest examinations and tests related to the reason for admission. Upon arrival you will have a blood test, urine tests, ECG, X-ray of the lungs, examination of the blood group, scarification tests for allergy to certain antibiotics, and anything else requiring diagnostic clarification and identification of your present health condition.
Furthermore, do not forget your ID card and pajamas, slippers, toiletries, underwear and a bottle of mineral water. Do not carry large amounts of cash, jewelry, expensive clothes and anything that could cause an unhealthy interest in someone.
The procedure for admission for operation
Come to your scheduled appointment at the hospital hungry and thirsty. This means you have not drunk and eaten at least six hours before. If you are taking any medications due to other illness, take them with a couple of sips of water. If you have diabetes do not make insulin and do not drink the pills to lower blood sugar, in case that you will not have breakfast. Bring medications that you take regularly with you. You will maybe need them after surgery. Provided that these medications are prescribed and available under the Health Insurance Fund they cannot be given to you by the hospital. Upon entering the hospital register your hospital admission document / document №7/ at the central registry, then go to the reception surgery. The nurse will accept you and will start with the procedure for your admission in the ward. Just follow her instructions and do not do anything without her approval. Any self-will action could lead to a change in the program related to your treatment.
What part of the treatment is covered by the Health Insurance Fund, what is paid additionally and can you use the services of additional health funds?
Obligatory health insured patients / children, students, pensioners and all those who regularly pay their health insurance.
According to the law medical treatment in the Republic of Bulgaria for health insured persons is free. However, in practice this is not so. Indeed, there are clinical pathways by which patients really do not have to pay extra. The reason for that is that the estimates for these pathways are made properly and there are enough money / I mean in cardiology and cardiac surgery for example/. Unfortunately, in general and abdominal surgery things do not quite work that way. The bigger part of clinical pathways is underfinanced and requires additional payment. Due to legal loopholes / I mean: lack of political will to solve the problem / this additional payment most often occurs in the form of "donations" on behalf of the hospital. The only case when the state officially abdicated its obligations under the Constitution, it is the so-called co-payments. "Expensive consumables" listed as an exception in the clinical pathway. There it is formally written that these consumables are paid by the patient.
„Tokuda” Hospital has a contract with the National Health Insurance Fund. Under Bulgarian law all health insured persons have free access to the hospital. The patients do not pay for the medical care that the National Health Insurance Fund covers unless the so called consumer fee for hospital admission. There are exceptions for those who are exempt from it. Any other additional services /for example choice of a doctor or treatment team, a private room and facilities, medicines and supplies that are not paid by NHIF / are paid by the patient according to the price list of the hospital. For any additional payments the patient will be informed in advance and sign a document called "draft estimate." It certifies that you know in advance how much and what you have to pay.
Patients who pay personally for their treatment
When you are not health insured or you do not have a hospitalization document issued by your GP to carry out consultation, examinations and treatment; you pay according to the price list of DCC (Diagnostic Consultative Center) and the hospital. Upon admission after the primary clinical examination you will get information about the cost of the necessary treatment by "pre-plan 'which should be completed in the reception office. You have to pay in advance for the medical package, the choice of the medical team and some supplies, which will be used for your treatment.
If during your stay you require additional manipulations and consumables, you will be informed about them and about the change of the final amount. At your discharge shall be made a 'final plan' which shows what are the costs and the need for final payment in favor of the hospital or the patient.
If you use your rights under your health insurance, please inform us so we can get approval from the insurance company in advance. You will know about the amount they will cover and the way of payment - in some cases they directly settle the bill with the hospital, in others you have to pay out-of-the pocket and then you have to ask them for refund of these costs. And that could take weeks ...
Patients who have additional health insurance
"Tokuda" Hospital has contracts with a number of health insurance funds. Under these agreements, your costs will be covered by the relevant health fund according to the level of insurance you have in the fund. In order to know in advance to what extent the fund will cover your treatment, please contact them by the phone and ask for clarification. Lately, in spite of the signed contracts, many funds do everything possible in order not to pay the amounts specified therein. So talk in advance and specify the conditions and remember when and with whom you have talked.
Does the patient needs to provide blood for his operation?
With the risk to repeat my self I will say that healthcare in Bulgaria is free to all , accordingly, the needed blood and blood products for the surgery too. But when it comes to planned surgery it is better to comment on the need for such products prior to hospital admission and at the existing prerequisite for possibility of emergency problems / rare blood type, need of large blood quantities, alleged serious postoperative complications, etc. / in order to look for timely decision.
Bring with you all available medical documentation. Let the surgeon and the anesthesiologist assess which of them could help to establish your current health condition. Most important are the latest examinations and tests related to the reason for admission. Upon arrival you will have a blood test, urine tests, ECG, X-ray of the lungs, examination of the blood group, scarification tests for allergy to certain antibiotics, and anything else requiring diagnostic clarification and identification of your present health condition.
Furthermore, do not forget your ID card and pajamas, slippers, toiletries, underwear and a bottle of mineral water. Do not carry large amounts of cash, jewelry, expensive clothes and anything that could cause an unhealthy interest in someone.
The procedure for admission for operation
Come to your scheduled appointment at the hospital hungry and thirsty. This means you have not drunk and eaten at least six hours before. If you are taking any medications due to other illness, take them with a couple of sips of water. If you have diabetes do not make insulin and do not drink the pills to lower blood sugar, in case that you will not have breakfast. Bring medications that you take regularly with you. You will maybe need them after surgery. Provided that these medications are prescribed and available under the Health Insurance Fund they cannot be given to you by the hospital. Upon entering the hospital register your hospital admission document / document №7/ at the central registry, then go to the reception surgery. The nurse will accept you and will start with the procedure for your admission in the ward. Just follow her instructions and do not do anything without her approval. Any self-will action could lead to a change in the program related to your treatment.
What part of the treatment is covered by the Health Insurance Fund, what is paid additionally and can you use the services of additional health funds?
Obligatory health insured patients / children, students, pensioners and all those who regularly pay their health insurance.
According to the law medical treatment in the Republic of Bulgaria for health insured persons is free. However, in practice this is not so. Indeed, there are clinical pathways by which patients really do not have to pay extra. The reason for that is that the estimates for these pathways are made properly and there are enough money / I mean in cardiology and cardiac surgery for example/. Unfortunately, in general and abdominal surgery things do not quite work that way. The bigger part of clinical pathways is underfinanced and requires additional payment. Due to legal loopholes / I mean: lack of political will to solve the problem / this additional payment most often occurs in the form of "donations" on behalf of the hospital. The only case when the state officially abdicated its obligations under the Constitution, it is the so-called co-payments. "Expensive consumables" listed as an exception in the clinical pathway. There it is formally written that these consumables are paid by the patient.
„Tokuda” Hospital has a contract with the National Health Insurance Fund. Under Bulgarian law all health insured persons have free access to the hospital. The patients do not pay for the medical care that the National Health Insurance Fund covers unless the so called consumer fee for hospital admission. There are exceptions for those who are exempt from it. Any other additional services /for example choice of a doctor or treatment team, a private room and facilities, medicines and supplies that are not paid by NHIF / are paid by the patient according to the price list of the hospital. For any additional payments the patient will be informed in advance and sign a document called "draft estimate." It certifies that you know in advance how much and what you have to pay.
Patients who pay personally for their treatment
When you are not health insured or you do not have a hospitalization document issued by your GP to carry out consultation, examinations and treatment; you pay according to the price list of DCC (Diagnostic Consultative Center) and the hospital. Upon admission after the primary clinical examination you will get information about the cost of the necessary treatment by "pre-plan 'which should be completed in the reception office. You have to pay in advance for the medical package, the choice of the medical team and some supplies, which will be used for your treatment.
If during your stay you require additional manipulations and consumables, you will be informed about them and about the change of the final amount. At your discharge shall be made a 'final plan' which shows what are the costs and the need for final payment in favor of the hospital or the patient.
If you use your rights under your health insurance, please inform us so we can get approval from the insurance company in advance. You will know about the amount they will cover and the way of payment - in some cases they directly settle the bill with the hospital, in others you have to pay out-of-the pocket and then you have to ask them for refund of these costs. And that could take weeks ...
Patients who have additional health insurance
"Tokuda" Hospital has contracts with a number of health insurance funds. Under these agreements, your costs will be covered by the relevant health fund according to the level of insurance you have in the fund. In order to know in advance to what extent the fund will cover your treatment, please contact them by the phone and ask for clarification. Lately, in spite of the signed contracts, many funds do everything possible in order not to pay the amounts specified therein. So talk in advance and specify the conditions and remember when and with whom you have talked.
Does the patient needs to provide blood for his operation?
With the risk to repeat my self I will say that healthcare in Bulgaria is free to all , accordingly, the needed blood and blood products for the surgery too. But when it comes to planned surgery it is better to comment on the need for such products prior to hospital admission and at the existing prerequisite for possibility of emergency problems / rare blood type, need of large blood quantities, alleged serious postoperative complications, etc. / in order to look for timely decision.