Hospitals are reporting a significant lack of family physicians. The Slovak Healthcare Surveillance Authority stated that at the end of 2023 the number of patients without a general practitioner increased. "Doctors who are still working are old. Many are already so exhausted that they end their practice, even if they do not have a replacement. This situation is especially evident in remote regions. Patients are thus left without a GP and have to travel tens of kilometres to see a new doctor," stated the surveillance authority. At the end of last year, over 280 thousand people were without a general practitioner. "The number of insured persons without a GP increased by more than 15,000 year-on-year," added the Healthcare Surveillance Authority.
RTVS
