A winner of the Scientific Publication Grants Call announced with order N 139 of November 29, 2019 of the Director General of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia turned out a project by an invited lecturer of Caucasus School of Medicine and Healthcare, Doctor of Medical Science Mr. Tengiz Verulava – Challenges of Healthcare Policy in Georgia: Organizational and Financial Prospects of Medical Service. The project was awarded the top score (29 out of 30) and was recognized one of the best of its kind.

The purpose of state medical grants is to facilitate the selection and publication of outstanding scientific papers (books/monographs) through open competition.

The goal of the project is to study extensively challenges in the healthcare sector of Georgia and explore the ways of their solution. There are a number of challenges facing the healthcare system in Georgia. Despite the fact that the introduction of the State Public Health Program has increased financial accessibility of the healthcare for the people, quite a large portion of the health services is funded from their “pocket”; the primary healthcare is inadequately developed, the potential of the efficient co-existence of the state and private insurance is underutilized, the ownership of the non-profit medical organizations is underdeveloped; there is a desperate need of introducing effective, result-oriented funding mechanisms for containing healthcare expenses; there is a need of implementing selective mechanisms; unequal distribution of the medical staff (excess of doctors and insufficient number of nurses) and their low payment; non-protection of their rights. The importance of healthcare policy has significantly risen in recent years as the reforms carried out in the field have posed numerous challenges to the governing bodies.

Caucasus University congratulates Tengiz Verulava on another scientific victory and wishes him success!