The federal program of preferential mortgages for health workers was proposed to be launched in the Russian Federation

Muslim Muslimov, head of the National Association of Healthcare Managers and a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, sent a proposal to Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, to launch the federal Mortgage for Medical Workers program. The initiative is aimed at solving the problem of personnel retention in the public health system. The document was reviewed by Izvestia on June 16.

"Using the example of the Moscow region, we see an effective but limited toolkit: the Zemsky Doctor and Zemsky Paramedic programs with lump-sum payments of up to 1.5 million rubles, as well as a mechanism for compensating rental housing in the amount of 30 to 45 thousand rubles per month, are being successfully implemented. The results of this policy are tangible — according to the latest data alone, 17 thousand medical workers have been attracted to the region, of which 5.8 thousand are doctors. This confirms the correctness of the vector, but it does not solve the underlying problem of securing specialists," the letter says.

The appeal emphasizes that housing rental compensation and lifting payments create a feeling of temporary stay in the region for medical workers. A specialist who does not have his own home retains high mobility and can change jobs when more favorable conditions arise in another region of the country.

As a strategic solution, NAUZ proposes to develop a preferential mortgage program for healthcare workers. According to the initiative, the regions could offset up to 8% of the mortgage interest rate. At current rates and the cost of housing, the amount of such support would be about 30-35 thousand rubles per month, which is comparable to the existing payments for rental housing.

The author of the initiative drew attention to the fact that such a model would be more effective for the budget in the long term. As the Bank of Russia's key interest rate decreases, the volume of regional mortgage compensation costs will also decrease. At the same time, the doctor gets the opportunity to purchase his own housing and connect his professional activity with a specific region.

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It is assumed that a prerequisite for participation in the program will be the conclusion of an employment contract for a period of at least five years. Thus, the state will be able to rely on the retention of specialists in the healthcare system for a long period.

In addition, NAUZ proposes to revise the terms of the Zemsky Doctor program and expand its effect to cities and towns with a population of up to 100-150 thousand people. The association notes that it is in such municipalities that today there is also an acute shortage of medical personnel, but they do not meet the current criteria of the federal program.

According to Muslimov, the introduction of preferential mortgages will make it possible to move from short-term recruitment to the formation of a stable personnel supply system for the industry. A doctor who has his own home and long-term obligations to an employer will be less likely to change jobs, which will have a positive impact on the stability of medical teams and the quality of care provided.

NAUZ stressed that they are ready to participate in the preparation of the regulatory framework and financial and economic justification of the project. The organization also considers it possible to launch the program in a pilot format in certain regions with subsequent expansion to the whole country.

On March 9, Muslimov proposed introducing surcharges for doctors and scientists to reduce the shortage of medical staff. The share of the shortage of medical workers in the country is estimated at 25.7% on average and, as noted, will grow due to the aging of personnel.