After the doctor Cătălin Cîrstoiu gave up his candidacy for the Capital City Hall due to several suspicions of incompatibility, a similar case of potential incompatibility comes to light regarding Rodica Ifrim, interim manager of the Focșani County Hospital.
Doctor Rodica Ifrim is interim manager since March 2024 PHOTO Youth Clinic
An investigation by Hotnews.ro journalists showed that last year, Cătălin Cîrstoiu, director of the Capital University Hospital, would have given a fee-based consultation at the clinic owned by his wife, a fact incompatible with the position of hospital manager. And although the doctor claimed that he had not broken the law, in the end, his candidacy for the Capital City Hall was withdrawn by the PSD-PNL.
According to Law no. 95/2006, the manager of a state hospital is not allowed to exercise other activities, not even unpaid ones, with the exception of those in the medical field in the same health unit that he manages. (art. 178 ali. 1 letter (a) and (c) Law no. 95/2006). Basically, the law stops hospital managers from working in private clinics.
And after the Cătălin Cîrstoiu case, “Adevărul” discovered, according to the documents and information obtained, a possible incompatibility regarding the doctor Rodica-Ioana Ifrim, appointed interim manager at the Focșani County Hospital starting on March 29, 2024.
Concretely, Rodica-Ioana Ifrim, apart from the activity within the Focșani County Hospital, has collaborations with three private clinics, two in Focșani (Medcenter and Clinica Tinereții) and one in Târgu Mureș (Vita-Nova Clinic). The service contracts with the three clinics were concluded by PFA Ifrim Rodica Ioana.
“Adevărul” checked the websites of the three private clinics on Tuesday, May 21, and on all of them Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim, the current manager of the Focșani County Hospital, appears in the lists of doctors.
According to article 178, paragraph 4 of Law no. 95/2006, the manager Rodica-Ioana Ifrim had to remove the reasons for incompatibility (holding a PFA and obtaining income from medical consultations provided in the three private clinics) within 30 days from upon appointment, i.e. until the end of April 2024, otherwise, the management contract will be automatically terminated. Only this did not happen.
“You can make an appointment with Dr. Ifrim on May 27”
“Adevărul” called all three private clinics with which Dr. Rodica-Ioana Afrim collaborates, although her status as a manager at a state hospital prohibits her from doing so, according to the legal provisions in force. “Adevărul” asked when appointments can be made for consultations with Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim.
“There are places available for consultations with Dr. Ifrim on May 27, but also during the week of June 3-8”the representatives of the Medcenter clinic told us.
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print screen dr ifrim vita nova jpg
“We give you the phone number of the assistant of Dr. Ifrim and you talk to her to make an appointment with us at the clinic for a consultation”came the telephone answer from the Youth Clinic in Focșani.
I also called the Vita-Nova Clinic in Târgu Mureș. “Dr. Ifrim no longer lives in Târgu Mureș and comes less often for consultations at the clinic. They always notify us ahead of time. Call next week and we will tell you when Dr. Ifrim is offering consultations”the representatives of the clinic in Târgu Mureș told us on the phone.
Manager Ifrim's reaction
“Adevărul” also got in touch with Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim, the interim manager of the Focșani County Hospital, to request a point of view regarding suspected incompatibility.
Reporter: Are you an interim manager at the Focșani County Hospital and at the same time collaborate with three private clinics, clinics that have confirmed to us that you still collaborate, although the law prohibits this?
Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim:
The collaboration contracts will be terminated, will be suspended during the management period.
Reporter: Yes, but according to the law, the reasons for incompatibility should have been removed within 30 days of the appointment, i.e. by the end of April.
Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim: I will be interested and I will speak at the clinics.
Reporter: But the collaborations should have been suspended already.
Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim:
I'll talk… Anyway, I haven't even gone to Târgu Mureș. Anyway, the other contracts are suspended during the managerial period.
Reporter: Yes, but I repeat, I have been to the two clinics in Focșani and they told me that appointments can be made at your place. Somehow, the contracts are still flowing.
Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim:
OK, I'll talk to those clinics too.
How much did Dr. Rodica Ifrim earn from collaborations with private clinics
“Adevărul” also consulted the wealth declarations submitted in recent years by Dr. Rodica-Ioana Ifrim to see what amounts she earned as a result of the contracts concluded by the PFA that the respective clinics have. According to the wealth declaration submitted on June 14, 2023, in 2022 it had income of 133,967 lei from collaborations with private clinics, while in 2021 the income was 111,658 lei. In 2020, revenues from collaborations with private clinics totaled 68,374 lei, while in 2019 they were 108,000 lei.
Suspicions of incompatibility in the case of another doctor
And the situation of the manager Rodica-Ioana Ifrim is not unique at the Focșani County Hospital, the only medical unit in the province directly under the Ministry of Health.
The second case is that of the dentist Mihai Nedelcu, currently local PSD councilor in Focșani and president of the Board of Directors of the Focșani County Hospital. According to several information and documents obtained by “Adevărul”, doctor Mihai Nedelcu was elected on February 9, 2024 as vice-president of the municipal organization of PSD Focșani, a position incompatible with that of a member of the administrative board of the Focșani County Hospital.
On the official website of the Focșani County Hospital, Dr. Mihai Nedelcu is still listed as the president of the Board of Directors.
Doctor Mihai Nedelcu is president of the Board of Directors at the hospital and vice president of PSD Focșani PHOTO Facebook
By Law no. 205/21 September 2020, art. 178, paragraph 1, letter F of the Health Law was amended specifying: “membership in the CA of a hospital is incompatible with exercising the function of a member in the management, administration and control bodies of a political party, both at the national and local level”.
“Adevărul” contacted Dr. Mihai Nedelcu by phone to request a point of view on the suspicions of incompatibility. “I will answer you in writing related to this subject”, said doctor Mihai Nedelcu for “Adevărul”. He did not respond later.
Rafila's silence
“Adevărul” also requested a point of view from Minister Alexandru Rafila regarding the two cases, but the Minister of Health asked us to make a written request in this regard.
“Adevărul” has officially requested from the Ministry of Health and the National Integrity Agency points of view regarding the suspicions of incompatibility in the case of doctors Rodica-Ioana Ifrim and Mihai Nedelcu and will present them as soon as it receives them.
