Pandemic silver lining as Czechs embrace preventive healthcare

A sharp increase in preventive screening points to a post-pandemic silver lining as Czech citizens seek to futureproof their health, including a 73% year-on-year increase in claims for voluntary vaccinations.

Czechia’s largest health insurance provider, General Health Insurance Company of the Czech Republic (VZP), is experiencing a significant shift in public engagement with preventive healthcare.

Fresh data released by VZP reveals a 25% increase in expenditure on preventive measures this year compared to 2023, amounting to an estimated CZK 9 billion (€350 million).

“We can now talk about a trend rather than a random fluctuation,” said VZP Director Zdeněk Kabátek, who presented the new data. “People are behaving more responsibly towards their health. The uptake of preventive care has been consistently rising since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pace is accelerating,” he added.

Preventive care takes momentum

Preventive check-ups, specifically general practitioner visits, have seen an 11% increase compared to last year. Compared to pre-COVID levels in 2019, the increase is as high as 20%. Paediatrics and gynaecologists also reported higher numbers of visits.

Participation in screening programs is also up nearly 17% year-over-year.

“This rise in preventive check-ups is a testament to the changing attitude of our clients towards their health,” Kabátek explained. “For instance, we estimate a 30% growth in participation in screening programs this year compared to last year,” he said.

Jan Bodnár, Deputy Director of VZP for healthcare, highlighted the economic implications of this trend. “Our expenditures are increasing due to heightened interest from our clients in all types of preventive examinations. Cumulatively, the costs for prevention are rising from last year’s CZK 7.2 billion to this year’s CZK 9 billion,” he noted.

However, Bodnár sees this increase in costs not as a burden but as an investment in the future. “The Czech Republic has a very good disease detection system, comparable to most developed countries. I am pleased to see more people taking advantage of it, and I believe this trend will continue in the coming years.”

Screening programs on the rise

The Czech health ministry and VZP have been proactive in expanding screening programs. Recently introduced initiatives include early detection of osteoporosis and prostate cancer screening.

The osteoporosis detection program, launched last year, has already engaged close to 300,000 clients, up from 94,000 the previous year.

“The necessity for this screening was immense,” explained Bodnár. “In epidemiological data, the Czech Republic has long lagged behind other European countries. Through this new program, VZP is successfully building a robust network focused on osteoporosis treatment.”

Additionally, a new lung cancer screening was introduced in 2022 for smokers and ex-smokers aged 55 to 74. The program saw participation rise by 67% this year, with over 11,800 clients undergoing screening.

Financial incentives drive participation

VZP has tied its benefit programs to compliance with preventive check-ups to encourage more clients to engage in preventive behaviours. “We have linked attractive contributions to meeting preventive conditions. The practice shows it works. The uptake of conditioned benefits is growing by tens of percentages,” said Ivan Duškov, Deputy Director of VZP for Client Services.

For instance, VZP saw a 73% year-on-year increase in claims for voluntary vaccinations, including a significant rise in demand for the whooping cough vaccine, utilised by over 56,000 people. Interest in tick-borne encephalitis vaccination also grew by 20% compared to last year.

The shift in Czech citizens’ attitudes towards preventive care reflects broader public health strategies initiated by the Czech Health Ministry. The pandemic served as a catalyst, pushing both the public and healthcare providers to rethink the importance of early detection and preventive care.

“Clients are starting to understand better when we tell them that prevention is not just about making the system more efficient, but it is a bonus for them, especially,” Kabátek remarked. “The health ministry has also prioritised prevention over the past four years, expanding screening programs and activities,” he added.

While VZP is encouraged by these positive trends, it recognises the need to maintain momentum. “There are still areas for improvement, such as among some older clients who are less focused on prevention and more on curative care,” Bodnár noted.

To address these gaps, VZP plans to introduce new campaigns each year to highlight the importance of preventive examinations.

Prevention as a key to financial sustainability

As Euractiv reported before, the Czech health ministry sees prevention as a key to keeping the healthcare system financially sustainable for the future, as healthy people can work and pay taxes for longer.

“The key is to increase prevention and thus to increase public health. This must be supported by the ministry, the government and the business sector,” Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09, EPP) said recently.

According to Válek, citizens have to be motivated to be prevention-oriented. In addition to staying healthy, they should get other various benefits, including economic ones, such as vouchers for spa facilities.

The Czech minister is also open to the idea of having a pan-European prevention programme with clear objectives and funding.

[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire | Euractiv’s Advocacy Lab]