Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete is sending the Control Body to hospitals after testing neurology appointments

Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete announced on Thursday that extensive inspections would be carried out at public hospitals in Romania after he personally called several facilities to try to obtain a neurology appointment for his “grandmother.” The checks cover appointment scheduling, attendance records and how specialist outpatient departments operate, including the situation reported at Colentina Hospital.

The minister said he took this step after several patients told him they were unable to contact hospitals or were informed that no appointments were available. Following the calls, Rogobete found differences between facilities: in some cases, staff answered and appointments were available within a reasonable timeframe. At other hospitals, he encountered difficulties obtaining an appointment and situations in which patients were directed to clinics outside the facility.

The Ministry of Health’s Control Body will begin checking on Thursday how services are organized and whether administrative obligations are being met. Rogobete said that developing specialist outpatient departments is a priority and that managers must ensure patients have access to medical services. The minister warned that measures would be taken where the rules are not followed.