Solutions from Ukraine: Health Ministry introduces “Patient Representative” project to educate and empower citizens in healthcare reform

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine presented the pilot project "Patient Representative" to raise awareness among people in the healthcare field, which was launched as part of the medical reform.

This is reported on the Government portal.

What is the problem?

Today, the key to successfully developing and implementing a medical reform is putting patients at the forefront with their unique needs and interests. Prioritizing a patient-centered approach is essential as it serves as the foundation for providing top-notch, easily accessible, and cost-free medical care.

"We promptly respond to new challenges caused by the war and expand the list of medical services within the Medical Guarantee Program. Thus, in difficult conditions, the medical reform is patient-oriented. However, despite this, patients still do not have complete information about free medical care, examinations, medicines, and the work of medical institutions," Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko said.

What is the solution?

"That is why, together with our partners, we are announcing the launch of a pilot initiative to raise the awareness of people in the field of health care – patient representatives," said the head of the department.

According to the official, such an initiative will create a favorable hospital environment focused on the patient's needs.

  "Also, such a decision can improve Ukrainians' access to high-quality free medical care and knowledge about their opportunities and rights," Liashko added.

The project was implemented by the National Health Service and the CHESNO Movement, with the support of the Ministry of Health, the World Bank, and the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.

How does it work?

The Ministry of Health explains that patient representatives are specialists who have completed training and are involved in explaining general issues to patients in medical facilities.

In particular, that refers to:

• provision of medical services within the scope of the Medical Guarantee Program (MGP),
• assistance in responding to cases of violation of patients' rights,
• recording feedback and monitoring the processes of providing care in a medical facility to improve the patient's experience and the medical facility itself, etc.

As expected, the presence of patient representatives will help reduce the time needed to solve possible problematic issues between the patient and the medical staff.

Launch of the program. This initiative will work in five medical facilities:

• National Cancer Institute;
• Kyiv Regional Clinical Hospital;
• Kyiv City Maternity Hospital No. 6;
• The first territorial medical association of Lviv;
• Lviv Regional Clinical Perinatal Center.

They also mentioned that the patient's representative will work directly in the institution for two months as part of the pilot mode, specifically in March and April.

"The piloting of the project is intended to test the mechanism before its further scaling," the release emphasized.

In each of the selected institutions, representatives will work in a team of two people. For effective work:

• their place must be on the premises of the institution,
• and be visible to visitors and patients.

During the entire time of work in the institution, patient representatives will interact with patients to:

• distribute information materials regarding services guaranteed by MGP,
• collect feedback from patients about the level of satisfaction with medical services,
• Record observations regarding the comfort of patients, their interaction with the medical staff, their interaction with each other, etc.

For reference:

It should be noted that the pilot project "Ukrposhta. Pharmacy" not only covers the Donetsk region but also extends to neighboring regions such as Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, and Sumy. Its purpose is to ensure that all Ukrainians have access to necessary medications.