Competition in Public Procurement in the Czech and Slovak Public Health Care Sectors.

Juraj Nemec,Maria Horehajova,Matus Kubak,Milan Krapek

doi:10.3390/healthcare8030201

Juraj Nemec, Maria Horehajova + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8030201

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Abstract

Sustainability of health financing is a critical issue for all countries, especially now in the COVID-19 period. The final level of achievements of critical public health goals is connected not only with the efforts of the people involved, but also with the availability of funding to cover the costs of the actions needed. One of the “internal sources” providing more resources to cover public health care costs is effective public procurement in the health care sector. According to existing scientific literature, a low rate of competition represents one important factor that has a direct negative impact on the efficiency of public procurement. The aim of our article is to examine the degree of competitiveness of public procurement in the Czech and Slovak health care systems and its impact on the final price of a contract. The research fully attested the findings of those studies carried out so far – the higher the number of tenderers, the lower the final price, even in the Czech and Slovak health sectors. However, the average number of tenderers is only around two and in the Czech Republic for more than half of the tenders only one bid was submitted.

Highlights

IntroductionProduct (GDP), there is no country where this substantial sum fully covers all perceived health care needs
Health spending in developed countries oscillates from approx. 9 to 18% of the Gross DomesticProduct (GDP), there is no country where this substantial sum fully covers all perceived health care needs
To reflect the above-mentioned challenges, the goal of our article is to examine the situation in public health care procurement—to measure the rate of competitiveness and its impact on the final price for both selected countries—the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Summary

Introduction

Product (GDP), there is no country where this substantial sum fully covers all perceived health care needs. Health finance on the one hand represents a critical factor “endangering” global fiscal sustainability, on the other hand these resources are expected to finance the growing health care needs of the world’s population, as formulated for example by the UN Sustainable Goal 3. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [1] define 13 critical targets for the health care systems of the world, with focus on reducing the global maternal mortality ratio, reducing neonatal mortality, combating the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and to combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases, reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and prevention and treatment of substance abuse. For most countries it will be very difficult to add extra (public or private) resources to health care, the mobilisation of internal

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