Amendments Made to Private Hospitals Regulation
With the new regulation prepared by the Ministry of Health, accreditation exemptions, X-ray, laboratory, and referral rules in private hospitals have been redefined.
The Regulation on Amending the Private Hospitals Regulation, prepared by the Ministry of Health, has been published in the Official Gazette and entered into force. With the new arrangement, while audit exemptions are brought to private hospitals that have received the TÜSKA accreditation certificate, important rules regarding X-ray, laboratory, physical standards, specialty staff, and the referral of private practice patients have been updated.
Audit Exemption Based on TÜSKA Accreditation
Routine audit exemption periods have been rearranged for private hospitals certified by the Turkish Health Services Quality and Accreditation Institute (TÜSKA). Hospitals in the platinum or gold categories will be exempt from routine audits for 3 years, those in the silver category for 2 years, and those in the bronze category for 1 year.
However, extraordinary audits will continue to remain valid without interruption in cases of complaints, notices, or other circumstances deemed necessary.
X-Ray and Laboratory Conditions Updated
Regarding the mandatory X-ray device requirement in private hospitals, the condition of having either one mobile X-ray device or an X-ray device with a power of at least 500 mA has been introduced. If this device is procured through on-site service acquisition, the obligation will also be considered fulfilled.
While the requirement to have a medical biochemistry or medical microbiology laboratory continues, hospitals providing service in a specific field will be able to meet this service through on-site procurement. In cases where there is no specialist physician staff, staff can be allocated by the Ministry.
Physical Standards and Staff Regulations
The deviation allowance of up to 2% in the minimum physical standard dimensions determined by the regulation for all units in private hospitals has been increased to 5%. In the specialty staff regulation, the condition of cooperation with foundation universities has been changed to include those with specialty training programs approved by the Ministry.
In the procedures regarding the assignment of physicians, the expression "primarily" used in the assignment of staff physicians in private health institutions has been updated to "preferably".
Principles for Referral of Private Practice Patients
In cases where the envisaged intervention cannot be performed on a patient coming from a private practice at the contracted hospital, a case-based special permission can be granted by the provincial health directorate for the procedure to be carried out in another hospital requested by the physician.
The procedures and principles regarding the request for this permit, evaluation criteria and process, as well as practices during emergencies, outside working hours, and on holidays will be determined by the Ministry of Health.