Foreign medical personnel legislation comes into effect

One of the principal changes signaled by the package is that private hospitals will be permitted to employ foreign doctors and nurses on condition that they seek prior approval from the Ministry of Health.

In other changes, every private hospital will now be required to employ at least four clinicians. Hospitals failing to comply with this regulation will face severe penalties. The Ministry of Health is empowered to suspend the operating license of non-compliant hospitals for up to two years, and if standards are not met following the period of suspension, the ministry is further authorized to cancel the operating license.

Furthermore, private hospitals that avoid providing health care to emergency patients will face penalties. Private hospitals will be required to provide any treatment required for emergency patients. If the subject hospital does not have the necessary facilities to treat an emergency patient, it will be permitted to transfer the patient to another health care facility on condition that it provides the first medical response for the patient. Private hospitals refusing to offer treatment to emergency patients for any reason will be required to cease admissions for a period of 10 days, except of emergency patients, by order of the relevant governor's office. Hospitals requesting extra fees from emergency patients will receive a warning notice from the ministry. If the behavior persists, the ministry will be empowered to suspend the operating license for a period of time or cancel it entirely.

Each private hospital will determine its bed costs per day, but this figure must fall within upper and lower limits as determined by the Ministry of Health.