Where the state fails, the private sector comes in and investors take notice

Healthcare in Slovakia, just as it is elsewhere in the world, is fast becoming one of the most promising sectors for investment, which is recognized not only by the companies themselves operating in this area, but also by investors. Demand for private healthcare services is growing each year, which creates space for new facilities and the need for development capital, opening up new, lucrative investment opportunities.

One such company is the healthcare group Váš Lekár, which includes a modern polyclinic in Bratislava’s Eurovea II building, a network of Váš Lekár clinics and pharmacies located throughout Slovakia, as well as a community and event space Lab 28 in Nivy Tower, which is focused on companies providing healthcare services. On the Crowdberry platform, Váš Lekár is in the process of opening up a second investment round to raise funds to double the number of its pharmacies and further develop its business. Investors now have another opportunity to acquire a share in a modern, growing healthcare network with interesting investment returns.

Private sector grows as state fails to keep up

The situation in the state healthcare system and the current state of public investment in the healthcare system increases the demand of patients for private services focused on the availability of appointments, quality and especially prevention.

Slovakia has been near the bottom of healthcare spending in the EU, not only in per capita terms, but also in terms of HDP. According to a recent OECD report, only Poland, Romania and Bulgaria spend less. Despite universal health insurance, many Slovaks spend a lot of their own money on healthcare. This trend is growing and creating space for private providers, while the market still shows a lot of room for new players to enter the market.

In 2023, a survey by the Health Care Supervisory Authority showed that 37 % of respondents paid for treatment with a specialist and 35 % for a visit to a polyclinic.