SLOVAKIA | Emergency | Healthcare system
Healthcare in Slovakia
Emergency medical service is "free of charge" in the Slovak Republic. This service is based on public health insurance. For foreigners, emergency medical service will be provided free of charge if the patient can show an insurance document valid in EU countries and also in some other contracting countries, e.g. the European insurance card for EU countries, Serbia, Norway, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Iceland based on reciprocal agreements and contracts with the Slovak Republic. In case a foreigner cannot show a valid health insurance document of the given countries, he/she has to pay for the emergency medical service to the health care provider. Besides the public health insurance, it is appropriate to have commercial health insurance for cases of sudden illness, treatment or transportation. In the event emergency medical service is provided, the transportation to the hospital or from one hospital to another by an ambulance is a part of this service on the territory of the Slovak Republic. There are special provisions for payments for medical services that are not considered an emergency medical service.
Any EU citizen working or studying in Slovakia who has medical insurance is entitled to the same health care as Slovak citizens.
Medical care in Slovakia is divided as follows:
1) Out-patient care
- General practitioner services for adults
- General practitioner services for children and young people
- Gynaecological services
- Doctor - specialist services
- Dental services in the case of urgent health care
2) In-patient care
- Hospital treatment
Emergency medical care
Emergency medical service in the Slovak Republic is provided by ambulances without a doctor (a so-called "paramedic team", ambulances with a doctor, and ambulances with a helicopter rescue medical service. The emergency medical service is free of charge if the above-stated conditions are met. The emergency medical service phone number, the so-called national number, is 155. It is also possible to use the international emergency number 112.
Significant constraints on the availability of emergency medical care
There is a dense network of hospitals in the Slovak Republic. A thorough medical service is generally provided by larger hospitals located in larger cities in the region. Besides this, there are four hospitals providing thorough specialised medical care for children and six hospitals which provide specialised cardiological health care.
Costs
Medical care is covered by the medical insurance fund and part of the social insurance fund. You have to pay 20 SK every time you go to see a doctor. In case you have to stay in a hospital, you pay 50 SK per day. If you have a prescription, you do not have to pay for some medicines. There is an extra charge for some items and you have to pay the full price for others, but doctors will inform you.
Prescriptions
The following items are available without prescription:
- Basic analgesia, e.g. Aspirin, Acylpyrin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Paralen, Brufen
- Anti-histamines, e.g. Claritin, Piriton
- Bandages, plasters, etc.
- Topical creams and ointments, e.g. Heparoid, etc.