Everyone is copying us, but they can’t reach us – together we raise quality in national healthcare
Dr. Petya Dinovska, Executive Director of ‘Heart and Brain’
Open days, campaigns for access to specialized medical care in small towns, schools for patients, high-tech medical procedures, long-term follow-up of patients after COVID-19 – this is just a small part of the activities of the hospitals of the Bulgarian Heart Institute. And although we are often copied, no one has yet reached our advanced expertise, work dynamics, way of organization and, most of all, the attitude to the patient. Of course, we are very happy just today, on Trifon Zarezan and Valentine’s Day, to congratulate all colleagues dedicated to the profession with great love and to note that all of us in Bulgarian healthcare together raise its quality to a European level.
17 years ago, with the launch of the first specialized cardiology hospitals in Pleven, Varna, Yambol, Shumen and Veliko Tarnovo and the introduction of the so-called “golden hour” in a total of 16 districts, we significantly reduced the mortality rate from acute myocardial infarction in the country, improved the quality and prolonged the lives of patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Emergency care must be comprehensive, because no country in the world has been able to address 100% of life-threatening conditions alone.
This success was noticed by the leading European and world cardiologists from the United States, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, who accepted to pass on their knowledge and skills to their Bulgarian colleagues. Legendary luminaries such as Professors: Eugene Braunwald, Toby Cosgrove, Frans Van de Werf, Jean-Pierre Bassand, Petr Widimsky, Tomislav Mihaljevic, Steven Nissen, Luigi Martinelli, Ladislav Groch, Francesco Bedogni, Zbyňěk Straka, Bijoy Khandheria, Antonio Pezzano, Robert Hobbs, Christian Matter and many others have supported us and continue to help us in advanced medical science and practice. World renowned cardiac surgeon prof. Thierry Carrel, the renowned vascular surgeon prof. Chang Shu, the renowned orthopaedic endoprosthetist prof. Heinz Roettinger, the star of breast surgery prof. Diego Rivas – all of them chose the high-tech hospital complexes ‘Heart and Brain’ in Pleven and Burgas to present the latest surgical techniques, inspect the work and confirm the expertise of our teams. The long list of legendary luminaries in medicine who have become part of the Bulgarian Heart Institute family continues to grow along with our ongoing advancements in over two dozen important specialty areas.
The long-term investment in new knowledge and skills of physicians from all specialties continues to this day. Heart and Brain physicians continue their training and qualifications in the most prestigious European university clinics and leading hospitals in Europe, the United States, Australia and Israel, learning the most advanced approaches to the treatment of socially important diseases from which Bulgarians suffer – cardiological, metabolic, neurological, etc.
Just seven months ago, the first newly built clinic for maternal and child health ‘Mama and I’ opened its doors in 55 years. A number of metropolitan families travel to Pleven to have genetic testing and receive first-class treatment and care for their children from the best neonatologists, pediatricians, surgeons, orthopedists, medical geneticists in the country. The results have not been long in coming – more than 180 babies have already been born at ‘Mama and I’, and our doctors often treat the most complex cases from all over the country.
In response to numerous inquiries from patients and colleagues, delighted by the modern treatment and individual approach at ‘Heart and Brain’, some of our leading specialists are now examining and consulting patients at the ‘Heart and Brain’ medical centre in Sofia: Lozenets district.
As with any success, only the gloss remains on the surface – hidden are the efforts, coordination, motivation and perseverance of each of us, dedicated to our work with great love and dedication. It is only natural that the way of working, the approach to patients and even the news from ‘Heart and Brain’ should be copied and emulated. This particularly pleases us and fills us with optimism – because we are leading the reform towards achieving European quality in healthcare!
