A patient from Aktobe has complained on social media about the multi-level system for booking doctor appointments under compulsory social health insurance (CSHI), and her post has sparked widespread discussion. To get an ultrasound, the woman had to go through several specialists she said she didn't need, reports infohub.kz.
"Today I was at the polyclinic. A month ago I booked an appointment with a therapist. But I didn't need to see the therapist. I had to book with him so he could refer me to a gynecologist, but I didn't need to see the gynecologist either. I had to book with the gynecologist so she could refer me for an ultrasound," the Kazakh woman wrote.
She explained that the therapist cannot directly refer for an ultrasound; only the gynecologist can. However, getting the actual scan turned out to be only half the battle. "The gynecologist tells me: to get the ultrasound results, I'll have to come back for another appointment with her. But she can't book me in herself. So I have to book with the therapist again, go to that appointment, so the therapist can refer me back to the gynecologist," the woman recounted.
She noted that people often wonder why you have to book a month in advance to see a string of doctors. "Yes, because they pass you around for referrals. That's all you need to know about CSHI in our country," she concluded.
Social media users supported the woman, with many sharing similar experiences. "I gave up on CSHI services long ago and go to a private clinic. CSHI is only good for emergencies," wrote user tabyn_knit.
A former district doctor also commented, noting that such a system is what creates the overload in healthcare. "I remember when I was a district doctor, a girl came to me. She had seen an oncologist who said she needed a biopsy of a breast lump, and she needed a referral for that. So I wrote her the referral. For the next three months until I quit, the head of the polyclinic kept saying I was taking too much on myself, that I thought I was a gynecologist and didn't know how to work. But I still think I did the right thing and made the girl's life easier," shared ash.jesion.
To find out whether the CSHI booking system really works this way, the editorial board has sent a request to the Ministry of Health. As of publication, no response has been received.