Slovenia

Healthcare System

Slovenia uses a universal healthcare system, which is primarily funded through the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije or ZZZS). The system provides comprehensive and compulsory health insurance coverage to all citizens and residents, with opting out not allowed.

The healthcare system is managed at the national level by the Ministry of Health, while the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS) is responsible for administering the health insurance fund. There are also regional healthcare providers and institutions that operate under the guidance of the national framework. Municipalities have a role in overseeing the organization and provision of primary care, albeit limited in decision-making.

The population receives a wide range of healthcare benefits through the system, including primary care, specialist care, hospital care, dental care, maternity care, mental health services, preventive care, and prescription medications. Some services may require co-payments, but the majority of the costs are covered by the national health insurance fund. About 95% of the population purchases complementary Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) mainly to cover co-payments.

To access the benefits of the healthcare system, individuals must be insured under the ZZZS. This insurance is mandatory for all citizens and residents, and it is typically provided through employment. Unemployed individuals, students, retirees, and other vulnerable groups are also insured through various social programs or via their family members' insurance.

In Slovenia, claims data, registries, and electronic health records are maintained and recorded using a combination of digital systems and traditional methods. The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) manages the national health registries, which include data on births, deaths, diseases, and treatments. Electronic health records are increasingly being adopted, with the eHealth project aiming to improve and integrate health information systems to facilitate better care coordination and information sharing among healthcare providers. GPs act as gatekeepers for accessing specialized care, and long waiting times for some specialist services persist.

Administrative or Claims Data

Database: SiStat Death

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Statistični urad RS; Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: To provide data on deaths and natural population trends for the formulation of appropriate demographic, social, health and other policies at national and subnational levels.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [1].

Available type of information: Number of deaths; Sex; Age; Number of deaths per 1,000 population; Average age of deaths; Cause of deaths, Life expectancy, and infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Source of Information: Surveys. More information can be found in the methodological document [2].

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: Unknown.

Available date range: 2002 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: Neoplasms (C00-D48).

Open data access: Partially publicly available [3] under "Population" > "Mortality" > "Cause of Death". Instructions to request data for restricted content [4].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [5].

Database: NIJZ Sick Leave

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: To monitor and analyze the causes and other characteristics of temporary absenteeism.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [6].

Available type of information: Indicators of the patient population; Year; Gender; Age; Disease groups; Reason for withholding patient population; Economic activities; Health regions and statistical regions.

Source of Information: Public and private healthcare providers at the primary level (outpatient clinics of selected - personal physicians) report to the regional units of the NIJZ.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: National level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 1983 onwards.

Available date range: 2000 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: Neoplasms (C00-D48).

Open data access: Partially publicly available [7] under "Health status of the population" > "Sick Leave". Instructions to request data for restricted content [8].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [9].

Database: NIJZ Outpatient Health (ZUBSTAT)

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: The purpose of the out-of-hospital health statistics database (ZUBSTAT) is to monitor, evaluate and plan curative and preventive health care at the primary and secondary levels.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [10].

Available type of information: Number and rate of visits at the primary level; Year; Types of visits; Number and rate of preventive visits; Age group; Gender; Number and rate of curative; Home visits and counseling; Statistical region; Number of corrective visits; Number and rate of diagnosed diseases; Conditions at the primary level; ICD-10; Main diagnoses chapters; Number and rate of visits to specialist outpatient services; Type of medical activity; Number of curative visits in specialist outpatient services and conditions in specialist outpatient services.

Source of Information: Reported by public and private healthcare providers.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: National level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 1996 onwards [11].

Cancer Areas of Interest: Neoplasms (C88-D48).

Open data access: Partially publicly available [12] under "Healthcare" > "Treatments at primary care level" and "Healthcare" > "Specialized outpatient treatments". Instructions to request data for restricted content [13].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [14].

Database: NIJZ Records on Diseases, Poisonings and Injuries on Hospitals (BOLOB)

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: Monitoring and studying the incidence of diseases, injuries and poisonings that require hospital treatment.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [15].

Available type of information: Number of hospitalizations due to illness; Gender; Year; Statistical region; Age group; Main diagnoses; ICD-10; Number of first and re-admissions to hospitals; Number of hospitalizations due to injuries and poisoning; Reason for hospital treatment; External cause; Number of deaths; Number of hospitalizations due to accidental injuries and poisoning; Number of hospitalizations due to intentional injuries and poisoning; Number of hospitalizations due to transport accidents with motor vehicles; Type of injury and poisoning; Number of episodes of hospital treatment due to illness, injury and poisoning; Type of treatment; Number of daily hospital treatments due to illnesses, injuries and poisoning; Number of episodes of prolonged hospital treatment due to diseases, injuries and poisoning; Number of episodes of extended hospital treatment due to illness, injury and poisoning; Rate of hospitalizations due to illness (per 1,000 inhabitants); Average duration of hospitalizations due to illness; Average duration of hospitalizations due to illness in days; Percentage of first and re-admissions to hospitals due to illness; Admission type; Proportion of hospitalizations due to illness; Average duration of hospitalization (in days) due to the most common diseases; Rate of hospitalizations (per 1,000 inhabitants) due to injuries and poisoning; Rate of hospitalizations (first admissions per 1,000 inhabitants) due to injuries and poisonings; Rate of hospitalizations (first admissions per 1,000 inhabitants) due to (un)intentional injuries and poisonings; Rate of hospitalizations (first admissions per 1,000 inhabitants) due to transport accidents with motor vehicles, suicide and assault and legal intervention; Average duration of hospitalizations (in days) due to injuries and poisonings.

Source of Information: Reporters are all institutions that perform hospital activities in the Republic of Slovenia.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 1965 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: Cancer Areas of Interest: NIJZ Records on Diseases, Poisonings and Injuries on Hospitals (BOLOB).

Open data access: Partially publicly available [16] under "Healthcare" > "Hospital treatments". Instructions to request data for restricted content [17].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [18].

Database: NIJZ Healthcare Providers

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: To serve as a comprehensive national resource for planning, monitoring, and implementing healthcare and health insurance systems, as well as a register for various groups of medical personnel.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [19].

Available type of information: Year; Age group; Gender; Employees; Professional groups; Statistical regions; Employees according to the list of occupations in the health sector; Type of contractor and legal status; MOH profession; Type of specialization; Specialization status; Indicators of employees in healthcare.

Source of Information: Providers are registered on the NIJZ, and private providers are managed by the Ministry of Health [20].

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 1997 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Partially publicly available [21] under "Resources in Healthcare" > "Healthcare Providers". Instructions to request data for restricted content [22].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [23].

Database: NIJZ Hospital Beds

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: Provide information on hospital beds for the purposes of research and policymaking.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found.

Available type of data: Number of hospital beds, Hospital activity; Year; Region; Statistical region of hospitals.

Source of Information: Report on the work of the inpatient institution.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: National level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 2003 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Partially publicly available [24] under "Resources in Healthcare" > "Hospital Beds". Instructions to request data for restricted content [25].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [26].

Database: NIJZ Medical Devices

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: To provide information about medical devices for the purposes of research and policymaking.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found. More metadata information [27].

Available type of information: Year; Devices in healthcare; Number and rate; Contractor type.

Source of Information: Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Radiation Protection; Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Institute for Health Insurance of Slovenia.

Data level: Hospital level.

Available data level: National level.

Number of Records: Unknown.

Date Range: 2004 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Partially publicly available [28] under "Resources in Healthcare" > "Devices in Healthcare". Instructions to request data for restricted content [29].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [30].

Database: ZZZS Number of treatments by healthcare provider

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije.

Primary purpose: To increase transparency and efficiency in the public health system by providing data on treatments provided by healthcare providers for healthcare management, policy decisions, and to facilitate better citizen access to health services.

Type of information: Days; Months; Year; Contractor; Health worker; Type of medical activity; Subtype of health activity; Number of treatments.

Source of Information: Unknown.

Data level: Provider and hospital level.

Number of Records: Number of records can be counted in each spreadsheet.

Date Range: October, 2022 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Publicly available [31].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [32].

Database: ZZZS Planned Number of Teams

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije.

Primary purpose: To increase transparency and efficiency in the public health system by providing data on the planned number of teams by individual providers and medical activities (VZD) for healthcare management, policy decisions, and to facilitate better citizen access to health services.

Type of information: Year; Name of the activity; Number of teams; Type of ownership; Regional contracting unit; ZZZS no. contractor; IVZ no. contractor; Name of the contractor; Type of medical activity; Subtype of health activity; Service code; 4th level of contractual activity; Description of the 4th level of contractual activity; NO. TIMOV.

Source of Information: Unknown.

Data level: Hospital level.

Number of Records: Number of records can be counted in each spreadsheet.

Date Range: 2013-2020.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Publicly available [33].

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information [34].

Database: ZZZS Planned and Implemented Health Services

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije.

Primary purpose: To increase transparency and efficiency in the public health system by providing data on the planned and implemented health services for healthcare management, policy decisions, and to facilitate better citizen access to health services.

Type of information: Activity; Regional contracting unit; Type of ownership; Type of medical activity; Subtype of health activity; Service code; Name of the activity; Plan; Rea; Index; Plan O,P; Rea O,P; Index O,P; ZZZS no. contractor; IVZ no. contractor; Name of the contractor.

Source of Information: Unknown.

Data level: Hospital and regional level.

Number of Records: Number of records can be counted in each spreadsheet.

Date Range: 2018 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Data is publicly available and can be found here for data before 2022 and here for data after 2022.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.

Database: ZZZS Planned and Implemented Imaging Diagnostics for the Detection or Treatment of Cancer

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije.

Primary purpose: To increase transparency and efficiency in the public health system by providing data on the imaging diagnostics for the detection or treatment of cancer for healthcare management, policy decisions, and to facilitate better citizen access to health services.

Type of information: Plan; Rea; Rea for Rak; Index; ZZZS no. contractor; IVZ no. contractor; Name of the contractor; Contractor nº.; Regional contracting unit; Type; Subtype; Service.

Source of Information: Unknown.

Data level: Hospital level.

Number of Records: Number of records can be counted in each spreadsheet.

Date Range: 2018 and 2019.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All.

Open data access: Data is publicly available and can be found here.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.

Registries

Database: Slovenian Cancer Registry

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

Primary purpose: To provide comprehensive historical and ongoing data on cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, and survival in Slovenia, serving as a critical resource for evaluating the effectiveness of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, as well as for planning necessary resources for cancer control.

Type of information: Definitions of available cancer burden measures can be found here.

Source of Information: Source for incidence and prevalence is the Slovenian Cancer Registry (SCR). Source for Mortality is the Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje (NIJZ).

Data level: Aggregated level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: N/A.

Date Range: 1961 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: All malignant neoplasms and some additional benign and in situ entities. All age groups are included.

Open data access: Patient data are not publicly available. Publicly available data on cancer burden can be found here. Reports can be found here. Information on how to access full database can be found here.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.

Database: SVIT Colonoscopy Screening

Sponsor, manager or home institution: Svit Program; Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje.

Primary purpose: To provide information on the colonoscopy screenings performed by the SVIT Program in order to support research and policymaking.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found.

Available type of information: Response in the SVIT program; Gender; Region; Municipalities; Year.

Source of Information: Information collected by the SVIT Program.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Reports with the number of participants for each year can be found here.

Date Range: 2010 onwards [35].

Cancer Areas of Interest: Malignant neoplasm of colon (C18); Malignant neoplasm of rectosigmoid junction (C19); Malignant neoplasm of rectum (C20); Benign neoplasm of colon, rectum, anus and anal canal (D12).

Open data access: Data is partially publicly available. Publicly available data can be found here under "Preventive Programs" > "National program for screening and early detection of precancerous changes and colon and rectal cancer (SVIT)". Reports can be found here.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here at the end of the page.

Database: DORA Breast Cancer Screening

Sponsor, manager or home institution: DORA Program; Ljubljana Oncology Institute.

Primary purpose: To provide information on the breast screenings performed by the DORA Program in order to support research and policymaking.

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found.

Available type of information: Regional unit; Year; Age group; Screening round number; Number of women pictured; Number of women invited to mammography; Participation in the DORA program; Conference consensus; Number of women on additional treatments; Number of breast cancers detected; Number of screening centers in operation; Proportion of invited women who attended screening mammography; Proportion of women attending follow-up; Proportion of invasive cancers; Breast cancer detection rate (per 1,000 women screened); Screening-detected invasive cancers with negative lymph nodes; Proportion in screening of detected cancers that are stage II or higher; Proportion of detected invasive cancers that are <= 10 mm in the first round of screening; Proportion of invasive cancers < 15 mm detected in screening; Time interval between screening imaging and screening mammography result time; Interval between preoperative conference and date for surgery.

Source of Information: Information collected by the DORA Program.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Reports with the number of participants for each year can be found here.

Date Range: 2008 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: Malignant neoplasm of breast (C50).

Open data access: Data is not publicly available. Reports can be found here.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here at the end of the page.

Database: ZORA Cervical Cancer Screening

Sponsor, manager or home institution: ZORA Program; Ljubljana Oncology Institute.

Primary purpose: To reduce morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer in Slovenia

Type of information: Data dictionary was not found.

Available type of information: Year; Age group; Territorial unit; No. of examined women; No. of women with permanent residence; Transparency.

Source of Information: Information collected by the ZORA Program.

Data level: Patient level.

Available data level: Regional and national level.

Number of Records: Reports with the number of participants for each year can be found here.

Date Range: 2003 onwards.

Cancer Areas of Interest: Malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri (C53); Carcinoma in situ of cervix uteri (D06).

Open data access: Data is partially publicly available. Publicly available data can be found here. Reports can be found here. Information on how to access full dataset can be found here.

Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.

Cancer-related Patient Associations and Resources

ESMO Patient Guides

Sponsor, manager or home institution: European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)

Primary purpose: Provide patients, their relatives and caregivers guides to better understand complex medical information about different types of cancer.

Available guides: Cancer Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Side Effects Associated with Immunotherapy and Their Management; Personalized Medicine in Oncology; Life with Cancer; Breast Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Cervical Cancer.

Type of information: Laymen-directed descriptions of specific cancers, their causes, diagnoses, treatment, screening, and side effects, among other relevant information for patients, their relatives and caregivers.

Access to information: Patient Guides [3]