During the meeting, managerial autonomy cards were handed out to six more hospitals – the “Queen Geraldine” Maternity, the “Koço Gliozheni” Maternity, the Regional Hospitals of Korça, Elbasan, and Gjirokastër, and the University Hospital of Trauma – all of which are now part of the healthcare system’s transformation.

At the same time, Prime Minister Edi Rama presented the financial autonomy card to the “Memorial” Hospital in Fier, which is ahead of the curve in modern hospital management.

“About four years ago, a new journey began here, and it is also here that the process of managerial autonomy was initiated. This has led to significant results, clearly showing how crucial it is for doctors, nurses, and teams who work tirelessly in hospitals to have the authority to make decisions on management and hospital spending,” said Rama.

Rama stated that this represents a shift from a centralized, inefficient, and highly bureaucratic system to a more flexible and modern approach. In this new system, patients are the primary beneficiaries, but it also provides doctors, nurses, and all support staff with the opportunity to be recognized based on their work and performance. As a result, financial rewards, which were previously distributed equally across categories, are now tied to performance. This means that some individuals may earn more than the maximum for their category, while others may stay at the upper limit of their category.

Rama handed over the financial autonomy card to the co-directors of the “Memorial” hospital, marking the successful transition to managerial autonomy.

The PM stated that managerial autonomy will be tested in six other hospitals, which, after one year, will receive financial autonomy.

“We will continue working to increase the level of interaction and create a broader range of collaborations with international friends and allies,” said Rama.

Rama stated that this collaboration holds great significance for the values of combining experiences and energies. Just as we started with the Oncology Hospital in Tirana, partnering with the Shiba Hospital in Israel, we are now preparing another important collaboration. I firmly believe that if it comes to fruition, we will move to the next level.

Rama expressed confidence that, with the support of allies and experts, Albania can build a healthcare system focused on quality to meet growing demands. He cited Memorial Hospital as an example of success and believes Albania can offer comprehensive healthcare services, becoming a regional destination for health services in the Balkans, similar to Turkey’s achievement.

/sm/