Private sector investment can help fill gaps where public healthcare falls short

A modern approach to prevention and diagnosis improves quality of life

Slovakia is among the countries with the lowest healthcare spending in the European Union, which leads to long waiting times, outdated diagnostic methods, and insufficient access to specialized care. Despite this, demand for high-quality healthcare services is growing. More and more patients are willing to pay extra for faster and more comprehensive care. The Váš Lekár private network model shows that a combination of prevention, modern technologies and effective management can bring higher quality healthcare and attractive investment opportunities, even for private investors.

Innovation in healthcare

Váš Lekár is building a network of healthcare facilities that combine prevention, diagnostics, and treatment under one brand. The goal is to extend healthy life and improve its quality.

"We operate six general medical clinics and, since January 2024, the Váš Lekár polyclinic in Eurovea II in Bratislava. This is the first polyclinic for prevention and longevity in Slovakia. Up to 24 specialists care for patients with acute and chronic conditions. However, we also focus on healthy people and on helping them stay healthy for as long as possible,"says Pavol Marcinko, CEO of Váš Lekár.

Unlike traditional healthcare facilities, the polyclinic also focuses on preventive medicine. Clients have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic methods, convenient online booking for specific times, and individualized care that eliminates long waiting times. “The comfort and well-being of our clients are our top priority. We strive to ensure that patients do not have to spend hours in waiting rooms and that their healthcare is efficient and accessible.”

In addition to the polyclinic, the network also includes pharmacies with diagnostic centers offering basic diagnostics such as blood pressure measurement, blood sugar levels, cholesterol analysis, liver tests, and thyroid and testosterone hormone tests. This combination enables more efficient healthcare. The result is a reduction in the need to visit a general practitioner for less serious health problems and shorter waiting times for specialist consultations.

Attractive investment opportunity

Growing demand for high-quality healthcare creates strong investment potential. Statistics show that 37 percent of Slovaks pay extra for specialist consultations and 35 percent for visits to polyclinics, indicating high demand for above-standard services.

“We agree with the view that healthcare should be paid for primarily from public health insurance. However, for certain specific procedures, if we want to provide patients with above-standard, high-quality healthcare without long waiting times, financial participation on their part is unavoidable. This model already works in dentistry, where patients commonly pay extra for certain procedures," explains Marcinko, adding that investing in Váš Lekár offers stable capital appreciation in a sector with long-term growth potential.

According to Crowdberry partner Michal Nešpor, the overburdened state healthcare system and limited public investment are leading to growing demand from patients for private healthcare services. The private sector abroad is responding quickly to this demand and providing solutions that improve the availability and quality of healthcare. This is creating more room for private investment, as confirmed by the figures.

"The healthcare sector is becoming increasingly attractive to investors. Our investment platform, with more than 11,000 registered investors, offers investment opportunities in healthcare companies, in which investors, together with funds and co-investments, such as venture capital funds, have already invested more than €45 million," he explains.

Financial benefits for investors

In the second investment round for the Váš Lekár group, Crowdberry is targeting €2.75 million in capital to help the company strengthen its market position and expand in the pharmacy business segment.

“Investor interest is high, with preliminary expressions of interest accounting for almost 80 percent of the required capital, and we are currently working on converting these expressions into confirmed investments. However, there is still room to join the investment club and participate in this growth segment,” adds Michal Nešpor.

Váš Lekár plans to expand its network to 50 pharmacies by 2028 as part of its second round of investment. Anyone who is registered on the investment platform and meets the regulatory requirements can invest. "Investors undergo identity verification and complete an investment questionnaire. They then select an opportunity and gain access to complete investment documentation that analyzes the company's risks and growth potential," explains Michal Nešpor.

The first round of investment attracted more than 150 investors, some of whom are from Bratislava. Many of them also became clients of the polyclinic, which proves that this is a model with high trust and potential for further growth. The goal of the second round is to attract investors from regions where Váš Lekár plans to expand its pharmacies and clinics.

“Another advantage is that the Crowdberry platform is regulated and its processes are supervised by the National Bank of Slovakia. At the same time, it has successfully financed many companies from various fields, which allows us to gain valuable contacts with experts whom we can consult on various challenges,” adds Pavol Marcinko.

The Model Váš Lekár creates a strong link between polyclinics, outpatient clinics, and pharmacies. After visiting one of the 24 specialized outpatient clinics, patients can immediately pick up their prescribed medications at the pharmacy located directly in the polyclinic. “We also offer consultations not only with doctors, but also with pharmacists, which reduces the workload of general practitioners,” explains Pavol Marcinko.

The future of healthcare investment

While the first round of investment enabled the construction of a modern polyclinic in Eurovea, attention is now shifting to expanding the network of pharmacies with diagnostic centers in the regions. “Pharmacies already perform basic diagnostic tests, and in the future we plan to offer vaccinations as well,” says Pavol Marcinko, CEO of Váš Lekár, adding that thanks to the investments, pharmacies will be able to offer an even wider range of basic physical and biochemical tests that can contribute to the early detection of health risks.

The growth of the private healthcare sector in Slovakia offers investors not only attractive returns on capital, but also the opportunity to participate in positive changes in the availability and quality of healthcare. “Investing in Váš Lekár is ideal for investors who want to gain a stake in the growing private healthcare sector, achieve attractive capital appreciation, and support positive changes in Slovak healthcare,” emphasizes Michal Nešpor, partner at Crowdberry.

Source: Article for TREND, April 2025

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