Hungarian healthcare system reform

Following the first 100 days of Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs’s tenure, the Hungarian government has initiated several healthcare reform measures. These include hospital reconstruction programs, leadership changes within the National Ambulance Service, and preparations for a new healthcare quality control authority. Hegedűs characterized the transformation as a “marathon rather than a sprint,” noting plans for a patient satisfaction platform and initiatives to address waiting lists.

The Hungarian Medical Chamber (MOK) has criticized the pace of these reforms, calling for an accelerated replacement of institutional leaders and expressing concern that political will is overriding professional expertise. The Chamber also reported difficulties in institutional cooperation due to staff shortages and restricted access to electronic health data.

In response to ongoing systemic needs, the government announced plans to allocate nearly 500 billion forint toward healthcare wage restructuring. This funding is intended to establish a new salary scale to support various career stages, from early-career workers to senior staff. While inter-ministerial negotiations with the Ministry of Finance have accelerated, specific details regarding individual salary increases and exact implementation dates remain undisclosed.