Health care is one of the most complex problem areas that public administration authorities have to tackle, the reason being that it is an area of direct confrontation of diverse interests. Namely, business interests, land development interests, and interests of highly specialized professionals combined with the simple demand for qualified, professional, and deeply compassionate care. Yet, all these interests are equally and crucially important.

The year 2006 was a major milestone in Vysočina’s health care sector. Despite the fact that the state turned hospitals over to the regions in a dismal state, they managed to keep at least the basic financial results at a level necessary for their survival, albeit with significant financial support from the Region, which, for its part, continues to search for an economic model that would enable hospitals to have long-term viability.

It is clearly evident that the health care sector needs an all-encompassing intervention. It is obvious that the minimal results that hospitals have hitherto achieved were due to major economic measures and financial inputs from the regional budget. Keeping up this practice would mean that, before long, we would face the dilemma: do we finance the operation of the hospitals from the regional budget at the expense of other sectors or, on the contrary, do we not increase contributions to hospitals and thereby jeopardize medical care standards?

Everyone who has at least some sense of responsibility can see this emerging dilemma and knows that a well-contemplated intervention is inevitable. We are aware of having to deal with it in the near future.

The end of the year was a great lesson for physicians, medical personnel, and everyone in the health care sector. For the first time in history, a case of a mass murderer in a white uniform was unveiled in our Region. None of the measures that our hospitals or the Region have adopted, and none of the checkpoints and checkpoint controls implemented since then can reverse the situation and bring back to life the victims. However, they can ensure that no such situation may reoccur. Moreover, they can help all other Czech hospitals. I very sincerely hope that our physicians and nurses never lose the most precious asset they have – their patients’ confidence.

Pavel Hájek

Regional Vice-President for Health Care