Independent Croatian trade unions (NHS) have requested from Health Minister Rajko Ostojić to abolish the announced rewards for doctors for reducing sick leave rates.
It is unacceptable that the success of doctors is measured by sick leave rates, whereby a limit of 2.5 sick leaves is set for every 100 insured workers, states the NHS in an open letter to the Health Minister. They also find it unacceptable that a doctor who exceeds this limit is considered unsuccessful and receives no reward, while a doctor who keeps the rate below this limit is financially rewarded with a bonus.
Therefore, we demand that the decision regarding these shameful unethical bonuses for doctors for reducing sick leave rates be revoked, states the NHS in the open letter.
The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) unofficially denies that special reward bonuses for reducing sick leave rates will be introduced, claiming that there is no talk of any changes in this regard.
