Prague plans to expand the range of healthcare services at Na Františku Hospital
10. 10. 2019
The City of Prague and the Prague 1 Municipal District are preparing to establish the Na Františku Metropolitan Hospital. The City of Prague is set to take over operations of the existing Na Františku Hospital as of January 1, 2020, and is currently working with the municipal district to identify the most suitable option for the property arrangement. Based on an analysis of healthcare services, Councilor Milena Johnová proposes establishing an emergency medical service with a pharmacy, an intensive care unit, and an emergency room at the hospital.
“Prague has not yet played a significant role in healthcare, and we want to change that. The Na Františku Metropolitan Hospital will become the cornerstone of improved cooperation among Prague’s healthcare facilities, which will mean better access to healthcare for patients. All too often, the Prague ambulance service cannot transfer its patients because there is no available space in hospitals. Building an emergency room and an ambulance dispatch station at Na Františku Hospital would certainly help solve this problem. “We are discussing both of these matters with health insurance companies and the Ministry of Health. In addition, we plan to move the emergency room from our clinic on Spálená Street to the Na Františku Metropolitan Hospital,” said Milena Johnová, Councilor for Health.
As part of the metropolitan network, the City of Prague aims to leverage the interconnectedness of Prague’s healthcare facilities; in the case of Na Františku Hospital, this primarily involves collaboration with the Prague Municipal Polyclinic, the Municipal Hospital for Follow-up Care, the Prague 7 Polyclinic, and the Prague Emergency Medical Service. From both an operational and medical perspective, such a change would result in the efficient provision of healthcare, and the integration of acute inpatient care, follow-up care, and outpatient care would create a comprehensive and cohesive solution for patients.
Under an agreement following decisions by the Prague City Council in January 2018 and May 2019, the city will take over the hospital from the Prague 1 district. The district and the city are now negotiating the most appropriate legal structure for the transfer of ownership. In light of the decisions by the city council and the Prague 1 municipal council, both parties are discussing options that do not require the transfer of ownership to Prague 1. Of course, the possibility of a transfer of ownership remains on the table.
Currently, there are three main options under consideration:
1. The City of Prague will take the buildings back from Prague 1 and place them under its own administration, entrusting them to a newly established subsidized organization.
2. Prague 1 and the City of Prague will jointly establish a third entity, into which Prague 1 will contribute the property and the City of Prague will contribute funds. This third entity will manage the property and also lease it to the Na Františku Metropolitan Hospital.
3. Prague 1 will lease the buildings to the City of Prague’s subsidized organization.
The chosen option will then be discussed by both city councils. Intensive negotiations with health insurance companies are continuing. Until now, the hospital has had only a one-year contract, which has complicated the hospital’s strategic development, reduced the scope of care provided, and necessitated a significant reduction in acute care beds. The shared goal of the City of Prague and Na Františku Hospital is to negotiate a standard multi-year partnership.
“A city hospital in the city center is crucial for access to healthcare. Na Františku Hospital offers patients good public transportation access, short wait times, and more time with the doctor. It has top-notch surgical departments (mammology, proctology), as well as day surgery and orthopedics, and it has traditionally been an acute care hospital. We actively support the establishment of an emergency room with a pharmacy at the hospital; for people in the city center, it would be a great relief not to have to travel all the way to Motol at night, for example,” said Pavel Čižinský, Mayor of Prague 1.
From the outset, the city has worked with insurance companies on the proposal for a new service concept. In addition to an emergency medical service with a 24-hour pharmacy and an emergency room for ambulance patients, the city also plans to reopen the intensive care unit, support the development of same-day surgery, establish an inpatient ward within the rehabilitation department, and set up a new inpatient plastic surgery ward. At the same time, it plans to maintain existing specialized services, including surgeries for oncology patients. The hospital is among Prague’s leading facilities for the treatment of breast diseases.
The City of Prague and Prague 1 also praised the work of the hospital’s staff. “Na Františku Hospital has gone through a very difficult period. It faced poor decisions by governing bodies, lobbying, the transfer of lucrative services to private hands, and criminal prosecution of the hospital’s former director. The fact that top-notch care has persisted at the hospital despite all this is primarily due to the excellent work of the new management, doctors, nurses, and all other hospital staff. “Everyone pulled together during that difficult period and worked as a team. We greatly appreciate their hard work, as well as this attitude and trust,” summarized Miloš Růžička, Chairman of the Health Committee of the Prague City Council.