Features of public procurement in the health care system

Viešųjų pirkimų reikšmė socialinei ir ekonominei Lietuvos bei visos ES raidai vis didėja. Perkančiųjų organizacijų atliekamų viešųjų pirkimų mastai tiek regioniniu, tiek ir ES bendros rinkos lygiu kasmet auga. Daugumoje ES valstybių narių viešųjų pirkimų rinkos sudaro apie 17 proc. BVP. Lietuvos viešuosiuose pirkimuose 2011 metais sudaryta sutarčių už 12,9 mlrd. Lt. Nemažą šios sumos dalį sudaro Lietuvos sveikatos sistemoje atliekami viešieji pirkimai. Lietuvos ligoninėse vykdomi viešieji pirkimai vis dažniau sulaukia neigiamų vertinimų, todėl šios srities tyrimas gali prisidėti prie sveikatos priežiūros paslaugas teikiančių įstaigų (ir apskritai visų perkančiųjų organizacijų) viešųjų pirkimų efektyvumo gerinimo (didinimo). Žinios apie tai, nuo ko labiausiai priklauso viešojo pirkimo trukmė, reikalingų išteklių kiekis, galėtų padėti sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoms sutaupyti biudžeto lėšų. Straipsnyje siekiama patikrinti bei įvertinti viešųjų pirkimų organizavimo ypatumus sveikatos apsaugos sistemoje, kurie turi įtakos pirkimų efektyvumui.The importance of public procurements is becoming more and more relevant for social and economic development of Lithuania as well as for the entire EU. The scale of public procurements carried out by purchasing organizations grows annually at both regional and EU single market levels. In most EU member states the public procurement market comprises around 17% of GDP. In 2011 contracts worth LTL 12.9 billion were concluded via public procurements in Lithuania. A considerable part of this amount falls to public procurements carried out in the Lithuanian healthcare system. Public procurements carried out in Lithuanian hospitals frequently are subject to negative assessment, therefore, research in this area can contribute to improvement of effectiveness of public procurements carried out by the healthcare institutions (as well as by all purchasing organizations altogether). The awareness of the reasons which have the biggest impact on the duration of public procurements, the number of resources required, could help the healthcare institutions reduce their budget spending. The aim of this article is to examine and to assess the features in organization of public procurements in the healthcare system, which may have an impact on the effectiveness of such procurements. Some differences in the organizing of public procurements at the healthcare institutions have been identified, which have an impact on the process of procurements. While determining the number of employees carrying out public procurements, it is recommended to take into account the extent of the procurements, their type and their complexity. Employees shall have an opportunity to enhance their qualification in the seminars on public procurements at least twice a year as well as to receive competitive remuneration. It is recommended to form a permanent public procurement commission (several commissions may be formed depending on the goods acquired, the type of procurement, etc.) consisting of five members. Provided that an organization has more than one employee responsible for the public procurements, it is recommended to assign different areas of procurements for them. Provided that goods, services or works required by the purchasing organization are included in the CPO electronic catalogue, it is recommended to perform the acquisition via CPO. In such a case it takes only 12 days to complete the acquisition (even less than the survey procedure), the need for creation of own technical specifications is removed, etc