site.btaSt Ekaterina Hospital and Physician Assistants Association Sign Memorandum to Tackle Staffing Shortage

The Bulgarian Association of Physician Assistants and Feldshers (BAPAF) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the St Ekaterina University General Hospital for Active Treatment in Sofia. BAPAF Management Board Chair Alexander Alexandrov and St Ekaterina Hospital Executive Director Dimitar Petkov affixed their signatures to the document at the BTA National Press Club in the capital on Wednesday.

One of the key objectives of the memorandum is to address the shortage of qualified medical personnel. "The hospital clearly expresses its intention to fill this gap through the training of new staff," said Petkov. According to him, the St Ekaterina Hospital faces a severe need for perfusionists (specialists responsible for operating the heart-lung machine during cardiac surgeries). The hospital is capable of training between five and ten individuals per month, he added.

Through the memorandum, both parties express their intention to build a sustainable framework for partnership and cooperation, focused on the development of human resources in healthcare, the promotion of postgraduate and continuing education, the implementation of good medical practices, and the execution of joint initiatives for the benefit of patients and society.

“We are laying a solid foundation for a long-term partnership aimed at developing human resources in medicine, promoting postgraduate and lifelong education, and applying best medical practices in daily work,” Petkov noted.

BAPAF Chair Alexandrov stated that with the signing of this document, the organization aims to see more of these professionals trained in Bulgarian educational institutions, ensuring a resource base to support the country’s healthcare system.