The Committee held an offsite working meeting in Ajara to hear the course of the DRG financing model from the representatives of the clinics in Ajara.

The meeting was attended by the members of the Ajara AR Supreme Council Healthcare and Social Affairs Committee, and the representatives of the Ministry of IDPs, Health, Labor and Social Protection, and Ajara AR Health and Social Protection Ministries.

The Deputy Health Minister, Ilia Gudushauri overviewed the DRG system and financing model, related challenges and further activities. He informed the attendees about the DRG reform, the plans outlined and the outcomes of the reform. As he noted, the transition to this model has been pending for years but due to the objective reasons, including the pandemic, the application of the model became feasible only in November 2022 in the pilot mode.

“The global reform aiming at the provision of the citizens with high-quality medical service by the clinics at adequate and fair prices is being conducted within the shortest term. We strive to apply the DRG system holistically to the hospital sector. Overall, we can now resume that the reform proves to be successful and the greatest benefit of the DRG financing model is the increased cost-efficiency and reduced co-financing share, which was a heavy burden for our population”, - he clarified.

According to the statistical data, the financing of 500 ml GEL has already been provided since November under the hereof model. The central goal – cost-efficiency and equal conditions of the clinics – has been achieved, and the uncontrolled co-financing is reduced and is now regulated.

“DRG is a properly functioning model and we need to develop the sector in this direction. We do not consider that the tariffs we have developed are unerring but our tariff system shall be regulated. Correspondingly, the Ministry intends to ensure uninterrupted communication with the clinics to jointly progress to the ultimate goal”, - the reporter added.

The Ajara AR Health Minister, Nino Nizharadze overviewed the challenges related to the inculcation of DRG financing model in Ajara. As the Chair of the Health Care and Social Issues Committee, Zaza Lominadze noted, Georgia has, within 6 months, managed to achieve the goal that remains unfeasible for many countries.

“DRG is a modern, proper state policy, new financing system for all hospitals engaged in the universal healthcare system. The implementation of this reform in Ajara is important, along with the establishment of DRG. We actively cooperate with the central and Ajara Ministries for the successful implementation of this reform without prejudice to the regional hospitals and maximal financing for the in-patient and out-patient services. The healthcare service shall be accessible in the highland Ajara. Adequate and correct remuneration and salaries shall be provided to the employees of the medical institutions”, - he stated.

According to him, the Committee has communicated with the Ministry on the convocation of the offsite meetings concerning DRG, which has been launched 6 months ago.

“The Committee is actively engaged in the process of adequate DRG financing. The problems we heard by the hospitals in Ajara will be analyzed not in Batumi only but by the central authority to timely and adequately respond to them and ensure adequate and prompt reforming”, - he stated.