Financial position of medical spas – The case of Slovakia

Abstract

Slovak spas are part of the public healthcare system. This system is under pressure due to the demographic trend of an ageing population and increasing healthcare costs, including costs expended by health insurance companies on spa care. The aim of this research note is to describe the relationship between medical and non-medical forms of spa tourism. By means of a case study, it describes the importance of public health insurance to the occupancy rate of accommodation capacity, the manner of payment for spa care and its medical or wellness character. In addition, it analyses the current financial situation of these operations. The traditional exploitation of natural healing springs for treatment, its connection to the public health insurance system and the level of spa treatments result in the prevalence of medical stays.

Spa services distribution and spa specialization in Eastern Poland spa communes

“…Research on the SSD has focused on the duality and diversification of distribution channels and its consequences for spa companies and communes (Romanova et al, 2015;Derco, Pavlisinova, 2016;Dryglas, Różycki, 2016Dryglas, Salamaga, 2017;Kozarkiewicz, Kabalska, 2017;Stelmach, 2017ab;Szromek et al, 2016;Vrkljan, Hendija, 2016). Existing research in these two areas has produced the following conclusions (Stelmach, 2017a):…”

Struktura dystrybucji usług uzdrowiskowych a funkcja uzdrowiskowa gmin uzdrowiskowych województw kujawsko-pomorskiego, pomorskiego i podkarpackiego

“…Tematyka badań nad strukturą dystrybucji usług uzdrowiskowych skupiona była wokół charakterystyki samego zjawiska dwoistości i zróżnicowania kanałów dystrybucji tych usług (ROMANOVA, VETTINEV, DIMANCHE 2015, SZROMEK, ROMANIUK, HADZIK 2016, DRYGLAS, RÓŻYCKI 2016, 2017, DRYGLAS, SALAMAGA 2017, STELMACH 2017a, 2017a oraz jego konsekwencji dla przedsiębiorstw uzdrowiskowych i gmin uzdrowiskowych (DERCO, PAVLISINOVA 2016, DRYG-LAS, RÓŻYCKI 2016, 2017, DRYGLAS, SALAMAGA 2017, SZROMEK, ROMANIUK, HADZIK 2016, VRKLJAN, HENDIJA 2016. Z dotychczasowych badań w tych dwóch obszarach wynikają następujące wnioski (STELMACH 2017a):…”

Economic Impact of the Health Insurance System on Slovak Medical Spas and Mineral Spring Spas

“…The indications and length of medical stays (21-28 days) are set forth in Act No. 577/2004 on the Scope of Health Care Covered by Public Health Insurance and on Payments for Services related to the Provision of Health Care" [10]. In the case of medical spa stays under Category A, the insurance companies reimburse the costs of accommodation, catering services and spa care.…”

“…Accommodation and catering services are chosen and paid by the clients themselves [11]. The financial stability of these undertakings is based on the balance between medical products covered by public health insurance and medical and wellness products reimbursed by patients [10]. Qualifying patient into Category A or B is dependent on the disease being treated, as specified in the Appendix 6 to Act No.…”