Health Systems in Transition - Hungary - World Health Organization ...

Health systems in transition Hungary 113
quality control and audit in this area (1990/2). The registration and licensing
system was harmonized with the practice of the EU (1999/7), along with that
for pharmaceuticals.
Minimum standards for health care institutions (regarding personnel,
equipment and buildings) were introduced as a rationalization measure in
1996 and 1997. Buying new and replacing obsolete equipment falls to the
owners of facilities, who can either pay from their own sources or apply for a
conditional or matching grant. Various capital grant programmes are run by the
Ministry of National Resources for replacing medical equipment or supporting
providers in meeting minimum standards. EU capital grants have also played
an increasing role in the funding of medical equipment in recent years (see also
section 4.1.1 above). In 2008, there were 28 magentic resonance imaging (MRI)
units, 71 CT scanners and 6 PET units functioning in hospitals and ambulatory
units (European Commission, 2011).
4.1.4 IT
In 2010 the rate of regular internet users in Hungary was 61%, only slightly
below the EU27 average (65%). It has increased almost by 200% since 2004
(21%). At the same time, the share of individuals using the internet to seek
information with the purpose of learning was 31%, only 1% lower than the
EU27 average (European Commission, 2011). The recent government action
plan states that a broadband connection is available for 97% of the population
but only 19.7% use it, and that 55% of the population own a personal computer.
There are 11 million mobile phone subscriptions, which is about 10% more than
the size of the population (Ministry of National Development, 2010).
The use of IT in the health sector has developed gradually. It is largely
attributable to the introduction of new payment techniques in 1993 and
subsequent important requirements for financial administration and reporting,
such as ad hoc provider checks of patients’ health insurance status and eligibility
for services since 2007. The development of IT in the health care context was
supported by a strategic vision of the Ministry of Health, Family and Social
Affairs in 2003, which was based on a recommendation of the Ministry of
Telecommunications (Ministry of Health, Family and Social Affairs, 2003). The
implementation of the strategy, which aimed primarily at increasing the number
of informed individuals and communities, was found to be only moderately
effective (WHO, 2006). Nevertheless, one of its successful initiatives was the
establishment of a web- and telephone-based health information centre available
around the clock, which offers quality information not only to citizens but