Roman BOCA, founder of Dorna Medical: “For an efficient medical system in the Moldova Region, the private sector must be integrated into health policies.”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
The healthcare system in Romania is going through a complex period, marked by chronic problems regarding funding, distribution of medical staff, and access to quality services, especially in regions such as Moldova
In this context, the role of the private sector becomes increasingly important, yet the sector faces major challenges related to integration into public policies and human resources.
Roman Boca, vice-president of the Romanian Private Medical Services Providers Association and founder of Dorna Medical, addressed these aspects during the program “În Prim Plan” broadcast on the regional channel Antena 3 Suceava, on the occasion of the debate about health and medical services in the Moldova region, organized in the preamble of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2025.
The private and public sectors – complementary partners, not rivals
“The public system is not in competition with us, nor are we in competition with the public, medium, or private system… Why? Because we see ourselves as complementary. We are part of the same system,” explained Roman Boca, emphasizing that the private sector must be seen as an essential component of the entire Romanian healthcare system.
He expressed his bewilderment at the widespread idea that the private system should be “set aside” in public health plans. “I have not understood why, where this idea came from that the private system should be set aside, without considering that the private system has an extremely large contribution to meeting the medical service needs of Romania’s population,” the entrepreneur pointed out.
Private hospitals, a minority with major impact
Roman Boca presented clear data to put the private sector’s contribution into context: “What is the share? It is approximately 5% of the total hospitals. So it is not large.” But beyond this figure, the impact of private services is significant and often essential.
Among the data provided:
- 15% of continuous hospitalization for chronic patients;
- 32% of day hospitalization;
- 33% of chemotherapy treatments performed in inpatient medical units;
- 80.5% of radiotherapy services;
- 89% of hemodialysis services;
- 90% of PET-CT investigations;
- 15% of orthopedic services through the National Health Program;
- 15% of cardiovascular surgery services through the National Health Program;
- 78.5% of specialty outpatient services;
- 96% of dentistry;
- 82.8% of laboratory and medical imaging;
- 74.8% of outpatient rehabilitation services.
“Overall, the private healthcare system in Romania provides over 50% of the services and meets the needs of Romanian patients who turn to the private environment,” explained the founder of Dorna Medical.
Funding – a system with gaps and contradictions
Funding – a system with gaps and contradictionsThe entrepreneur criticized the idea that private hospitals should not be funded with public money: “There was discussion in the press about not funding private hospitals anymore. An anomaly, how can we not fund them? We do fund them, because we operate under the same law. But funding is not direct – we have contracts for services.”
He detailed: “We do not receive money from anywhere else. We contract a surgical intervention, and for that intervention I receive money. We do not receive money from the County Council, the Local Council, nor salary payments, nothing.”
Thus, the private sector depends exclusively on contracts with the Health Insurance Houses, without other sources of public funding.
Personnel shortage and disadvantages of less developed regions
Personnel shortage and disadvantages of less developed regionsRoman Boca raised the major issue of the shortage of specialized medical personnel, especially in non-university regions, including Moldova. “We have a problem with distribution at county, national, and regional levels of highly qualified human resources, especially doctors, but not only doctors, attention because there are big problems also with biologists, biochemists, radiology technicians, bioengineers with specialties specific to market requirements,” he warned.
He advocated for close cooperation between universities and the medical system, both public and private, to adapt the number and specializations of students and residents to the real needs of the regional market.
“I think it is very important that the private and public environments have ongoing communication with the institutions that train these people, to see what the market needs are and what the specific needs of each region are,” Boca specified.
The role of Suceava University and the need for local residency programs
The founder of Dorna Medical appreciated the efforts of Suceava University to start training medical students and encouraged the organization of residency programs in the county. “If you succeed, Mr. Dean, in establishing residency in Suceava, you have my congratulations in advance, because this way residents can be trained who will have applicability in the county and small towns area”, he explained.
Physician migration – the loss of an important investment
Roman Boca also drew attention to the phenomenon of doctors leaving abroad: “There are companies or firms from abroad that come and recruit students in their final years, in years 5 and 6, they have recruited them and promise residency abroad and that student, for whom the Romanian state has spent money, will train, complete residency there, and will remain abroad.”
This phenomenon worsens the shortage of medical personnel in the country and accentuates regional imbalances.
Involvement in the Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2025 – hope for integrated policy / Panel 6 Program – Health and Medical Services in the Moldova Region
Roman Boca declared that the Association of Private Medical Services Providers will be actively involved in the Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2025, bringing concrete data and proposals for better integration of the private system into health policies and efficient human resource management.
“We discuss these issues at the national level and we want the Ministry’s health policies to integrate us as well,” concluded the association’s vice-president.
Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President of CAPDR: “Patients’ trust is not earned through promises, but through proven deeds”
Alongside the entrepreneurial perspective of Roman Boca, who emphasizes the crucial and insufficiently recognized role of the private sector in healthcare, Ion Ștefanovici, president of the Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development (CAPDR), brings an essential institutional and strategic dimension to the discussion.
Ion Ștefanovici highlights the issue of patients’ trust, a fundamental element for the functioning of both public and private healthcare. Given that the Moldova region faces economic and social challenges, and medical services are often perceived as insufficient or inequitable, his message targets building a strong and lasting relationship between healthcare providers and the communities they serve.
“In the Moldova Region, patients’ trust is not earned through promises, but through proven deeds, day by day, in hospitals, laboratories, and clinics.
At FERM 2025, Dorna Medical, under the coordination of Roman Boca, is our trusted partner in organizing the Health Panel. It is one of the most appreciated medical companies in the region – not only for the quality of services but also for the constant respect towards people.
Thank you for the active involvement and coherent vision regarding the future of regional health. The fact that the private medical environment stands, alongside public institutions, in the same common effort shows maturity, courage, and genuine commitment.
Personal conviction: Those who heal silently, heal twice: once the body, once the trust,” emphasized the CAPDR President.
Conclusion
The analysis presented by Roman Boca, combined with the official position conveyed by Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president, reflects the complex state of the medical system in the Moldova region and underlines the urgent need for cooperation and integration between the public and private sectors.
The private sector, although providing over half of the requested medical services, is still marginalized in health policies, limiting its potential contribution to improving access and quality of services.
At the same time, the clear message regarding trust earned through concrete actions and mutual respect offers a moral and strategic framework for necessary and sustainable reforms.
The Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2025 has the essential role of supporting dialogue and collaboration among all involved parties, to transform these principles into practical and effective solutions for the region’s health.
Only through a joint, well-coordinated, and transparent effort can the Moldova region build a sustainable, performant healthcare system genuinely oriented towards the patient.
