Specialist outpatient clinics reformed: extended hours until 8:00 PM, increased funding, and a central role in prevention

The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, announced a package of measures aimed at relaunching specialist outpatient clinics, an essential component of the healthcare system which, according to the official, has for years been underfunded and excessively burdened by bureaucracy. Recent legislative changes reposition outpatient care as a rapid access point for diagnosis and treatment and provide hospital managers with more flexible administrative tools to organize activity.

What is changing concretely in outpatient care

According to the Minister’s statements, the new regulations allow:

– extension of outpatient clinic operating hours until 8:00 PM, where necessary, for specialties with high demand (a measure announced as early as August)
– simpler organization of schedules and physician rotations, with less bureaucracy and without unnecessary reporting
– an increase in the payment point per medical service to 6.5 lei, starting January 1, 2026, as a genuine support measure for activity
– granting salary rights corresponding to the section or department in which physicians are employed, for those working in the hospital’s integrated outpatient clinic, throughout the entire duration of their activity

In a Medic24 analysis published in May this year and signed by Valentina Popescu, a piece cited in the latest OECD report on health in Romania, it was shown that opening hours were a fundamental difference between primary care and private healthcare: public family medicine practices usually operate on a standard schedule (for example, 8:00–14:00 or 10:00–16:00, depending on the contract) from Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, patients in the public system must turn to on-call centers (where available) or emergency services (112, ambulance, emergency departments) for acute needs. By contrast, many private clinics offer extended hours, some until late evening or on weekends, for general medical consultations.

According to the Minister, the new measures extending operating hours in specialist outpatient clinics correct this disparity, providing managers with clear levers for more efficient use of human resources, schedule extension, and increased responsiveness of outpatient services.

Outpatient care, a pillar of a modern healthcare system

Alexandru Rogobete emphasized that outpatient care is the key to a modern healthcare system, through faster diagnosis, timely treatment, continuous monitoring, and reduced pressure on emergency hospitals. For patients, these changes translate into easier access to services, shorter waiting times, and greater predictability in care.

In parallel, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), 69 specialist outpatient clinics across the country have been rehabilitated and equipped, investments that have brought modern infrastructure, high-performance equipment, and improved conditions for patients and medical staff.

New national programs, implemented mainly in outpatient care

Starting next year, three new national programs will be implemented, financed directly by the Ministry of Health:

– National neonatal screening program
– National screening program for cervical, breast, and prostate cancer
– National palliative care and home care program

(read more about the three programs here)

A large part of these services will be delivered in outpatient settings, strengthening their role in prevention, early diagnosis, and continuous care.

Benefits for patients

According to the Minister of Health, patients will benefit from faster access to doctors and investigations, including in the second part of the day, shorter waiting times, earlier diagnosis, and timely initiation of treatment. In addition, medical services will be available closer to home, including home care and palliative care, within a better organized and more efficient system.