Manager of the Botoșani Recovery Hospital, Dr. Cătălin DĂSCĂLESCU, at FERM 2025: “Medical recovery must be efficient, professional, and tailored to real needs”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
Health and Medical Services in the Moldova Region
Speaker:
Dr. Cătălin DĂSCĂLESCU – Manager of the Botoșani Recovery Hospital
Topic of the presentation:
“Reorganizing the healthcare system and developing palliative and chronic care services”
Dr. Dăscălescu delivered an honest and pragmatic speech, presenting the strategic vision of a medical institution which, although considered “small” within the healthcare system, demonstrates a remarkable capacity for adaptation, expansion, and innovation. Starting from local realities, the manager from Botoșani outlined a development model based on European investments, staffing reform, and interdisciplinary approaches, aimed at delivering modern recovery services even in the country’s peripheral areas.
A small hospital with a big mission
Dr. Dăscălescu opened his talk by stating that the chosen direction is enhancing the quality of medical care through diversification and modern equipment.
“We are a small recovery hospital in Botoșani, but we are trying to expand and offer increasingly complex services to our county’s patients.”
The hospital has evolved from classic recovery (physical medicine and balneology) towards neurological and cardiovascular recovery, and is soon to open a neuromotor recovery ward.
“We’ve purchased rehabilitation robots for gait and arm movement recovery in post-stroke patients. We’re just beginning with the cardiovascular recovery unit and plan to acquire equipment for stress testing.”
Post-COVID and the need for respiratory care
An important innovation was the establishment of a respiratory recovery unit, prompted by increased post-COVID demand. A pulmonologist was hired for this purpose.
“We brought in a pulmonologist due to the high demand for respiratory recovery. Initially, we only had three physiotherapists, and most recovery was being handled by nurses.”
This structure proved inefficient, which led to a staff reconfiguration: from 3 physiotherapists and 22 nurses, the hospital now has 7 physiotherapists and plans to continue this reversal.
“The quality of medical care is higher with physiotherapists. It’s not a comparison, but they are much more suited for this area of recovery.”
Strategic investments: EU funds and functional expansion
The hospital recently signed a funding contract through the new Health Operational Program 2021–2027, which will enable the rehabilitation of the outpatient clinic, kitchen, laundry, and other auxiliary spaces, along with equipment upgrades and energy efficiency improvements.
“In parallel, we have a new building – 90% completed – where we will open the neuromotor recovery unit and arrange 20 beds for palliative care.”
For the latter component, the hospital staff has already been trained: nurses, physiotherapist, psychologist, and even the hospital priest attended palliative care courses. The challenge remains in finding a physician dedicated to this sensitive field.
Real costs vs. theoretical funding
The Botoșani manager delved into the financial sustainability of these services, estimating the real cost of a palliative care hospital day: about 780 RON, with a significant share allocated to salaries.
“Fully staffed, the personnel costs alone take us to around 780 RON/day. Currently, only 200 RON are reimbursed per day, and the rest comes from transfers, which we don’t know how long will continue if funding becomes strictly service-based.”
This uncertainty is heightened by the transition in the funding system, as direct salary transfers are expected to be phased out.
Outpatient services – great potential, limited by staff
A key pillar of the hospital’s activity is the specialty outpatient clinic, where some practices perform very well financially.
“The ENT clinic, operating exclusively in outpatient, claims around 10,000 points per month – roughly 50,000 RON. In outpatient care, there is no theoretical service cap – everything you do is paid.”
However, indirect limitations exist, due to available points for consultations, ancillary services, or underperforming specialties which need to be offset. Expansion is possible, but depends on the salary envelope and the capacity of the existing team.
“We have a limited number of employees in the treatment base. They work both in the hospital and in the outpatient clinic. We are already at full capacity.”
Challenges in physiotherapy: 3–4 month waiting lists
One of the most pressing issues is patients’ access to physiotherapy. The waiting list is 3–4 months long, and the hospital continues efforts to expand its staff.
“From half a full-time equivalent in the outpatient clinic, we’ve grown to two and a half FTEs for RMFB. In January, two residents will graduate as specialists. We aim to reach three full-time equivalents. But we’re already out of inpatient beds.”
Day hospitalization could be an alternative, but there are legal issues and low tariffs. That’s why the hospital prefers to offer ancillary services through outpatient care, where reimbursement packages range from 500 to 800 RON per patient.
Conclusion
Dr. Cătălin Dăscălescu’s address was a clear call for professionalism, smart investments, and alignment with the real needs of patients. Far from theoretical frameworks or abstract promises, his message was grounded in data, hands-on experience, and well-defined priorities.
