Primary care physicians’ salaries increase starting July 2018

In July, the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) paid the first contracted 161 PHC provider under the new healthcare financing model based on the "money follows the patient" principle. Physicians working at these health facilities noticed an increase in salaries, which in some cases was significant – up to three times higher than the salaries they used to receive under the state subvention model. The NHSU paid to the contracted facilities a total of UAH 255.3 million for the actual services provided to patients.

The ‘autonomized’ non-profit enterprises that have already signed agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine now have administrative and financial independence and can apply a flexible approach to salary formation. The heads and management of these health facilities index salaries based on specific criteria, for instance, a family doctor’s salary is calculated based on the number of declarations signed with patients.  The entire team of each particular health facility takes a decision on salary policies, which is why each PHC provider has an individual approach to payment.

For example, one family doctor from Zhytomyr oblast, who has signed declarations with 1 624 patients, received UAH 7 504 after tax in July. In June, just a month ago, the salary of the same doctor was UAH 3 411 after tax.

The family physician from Odesa oblast, who signed 1795 declarations with patients, received UAH 16 011 after tax in July, when her salary was UAH 5 834 in June. The nurse working at the same health facility received UAH 6 383 after tax in July, when her salary was UAH 3 048 after tax in June.