Difference between revisions of "Pozornost', d'akovné, všimné (Slovakia)"

In Slovak media mini-surveys, one can find questions related specifically to the practice of všimné (see, for example, the daily newspaper SME during the 2014 presidential election campaign). The fact that this term was selected for inclusion in the questionnaires, and in the possible responses that were offered, indicated the moral ambiguity of the term. When asked whether they had ever offered a všimné, four presidential candidates replied ‘No,’ while three replied ‘Yes’ with reference to giving všimné to a doctor or physician. However, even some of those who responded in the negative admitted to having given some presents (such as a box of chocolates) to a doctor after they or their family had received medical treatment. One presidential candidate considered všimné to be a warm ‘thank you’ for health-care services. In other words, there was no consensus among the candidates over the reading of všimné or its positive or negative connotations (SME 2014).

This casts doubt on the impartiality of Slovakia’s publicly-funded health care. Some physicians claim to have refused all presents from patients—though giving such gifts is common practice in Slovakia—while others see no problem in accepting small gifts. It is telling that opinion poll data reveal that health-care is generally seen as Slovakia’s most corrupt sector (Transparency International 2014a). In some hospitals, informal norms of všimné apply, though the word is not officially used. For example, a payment of up to 20 Euros may be seen as an acceptable way to express gratitude for good care, with higher fees being acceptable for special privileges such as choosing which surgeon will carry out one’s operation (Krempaský and Vražda 2012).