Country report 2010

Romanian Ostomy Association

Organization:
Romanian Ostomy Association – non-profit and non-governmental organization, founded in 1996.

Members:
The membership number is around 800. The members of R.O.A. are mainly people living in south-easthern part of Romania, people with ileo-, colo- or urostoma, relatives , nurses and other supporters of the people who have a stoma. Each member has a membership card which is endorsed monthly or every three months. Monthly fee is about 0,8 euro , but it is optional – not mandatary for all our members.

Executive Board:
5 persons, all volunteers, no employees

Reimbursement of ostomy devices- situation:
satisfactory. The Romanian insurance system is based on the national insurance company state owned – which is funded by mandatory taxes to national insurance system. Ostomy appliances are free of charge within a limited sum: around 60 euro monthly for ileostomates and 70 for urostomates. The pharmaceuticals and also medicine devices ( including ostomy bags, not accessories) eligible for reimbursement are listed in the positive list elaborated by a special committee of the Ministry of Health. Reimbursement system is directed by Ministry of Health through National Health Insurance House. The reimbursed ostomy bags are prescribed by specialists or family doctors who have agreements with National Health Insurance House. An ostomate needs a renewed prescription from doctor every three months that has to be registred in National Health Insurance House. The reimbursement is provided through distributers or some pharmacies on the basis of medical prescription approved by NHIH, ostomates getting the ostomy bags without payment in the limited sum shown above. This is generally sufficient for ostomates with colostomy, but is often not enough for those ostomates with ileostomy – who have to buy extra if they need more. There are different products available here.

Activities:
Finances of the association are provided in membership fees, advertising fees from some companies providing ostomy equipment, Ministry of Labor, association of retired persons, other small sponsorships and the fees of courses that one of our vicepresident – being a nurse trainer in stoma care – is able to sustain for nurses.

The association has a rented office and a secretary takes care of all the routine matters of the organization.We have an Annual General Meeting every year, other meetings during the year with ostomates members, nurses or psychologists. There isn’t a Group 20/40 here and we are looking to establishing it, this is one of our goals of this year. To our members and to other persons interested in we provide information through our magazine (covering such diverse subjects as personal stories and fundraising events, which offer encouragement, through articles about life events and medical issues ), web page, leaflets and visits at our office. Since 2005 APSCR has become provider of medical education regarding introductory in stomatherapy and , when we have financial support, we organize courses for nurses. But we are looking for space and conditions for more success on this matter, because stomatherapy here doesn’t correspond to our demands enough yet.

Last two years have been a little bit difficult for us considering the economic crisis which we are going through. But we tried to maintain what we had built before and not to lose or cut what we had gained before , I mean the rights of ostomates, the reimbursement of National House of Insurance Health for ostomy pouches, so hasn’t been the case of worry until now or bad changes.

With the help of APSCR last year was founded Romanian IBD Association and the most important event of us was that APSCR became last year associate member of E.O.A./I.O.A.

The Romanian Ostomy Association set objectives to increase the level and quality of pre- and post- surgery stoma care a more faster psychological and social rehabilitation of ostomates.

Website: www.ilco.ro
Contact: apscr@ilco.ro
isabella.yin@yahoo.com

Isabella Grosu

Vice-chairman of Romanian Ostomy Association