Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova has ordered ensuring real accessibility of doctor appointments in clinics. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Alnazarova said a patient must have a real opportunity to book an appointment with a doctor and receive the necessary medical care without any unnecessary organizational barriers.
"If a person comes to a clinic and cannot book an appointment with a doctor, how can we talk about accessibility of medical care? These are basic issues that must be ensured locally," said Akmaral Alnazarova.
The analysis conducted revealed restrictions regarding patients' self-booking with both district doctors and specialized specialists. In a number of medical organizations, reception schedules have been established, but the possibility of patients booking appointments on their own remains limited.
In addition, the minister instructed health departments to keep the accessibility of medical care under constant control.
"It must be accessible to the population both online and offline. A person must come to the clinic and receive all the information they need. Ensuring the possibility of booking an appointment with a doctor is the daily work of the healthcare system locally," said Alnazarova.
Starting in October, territorial divisions and specialized departments will begin conducting a comprehensive analysis of primary healthcare organizations' compliance with established standards. The inspection will not be limited only to the possibility of booking appointments with doctors, but will also cover general issues of organizing medical care.