September the 27th, 2026 – Patients of one Croatian hospital will have to pay while waiting for an examination. It’s safe to say the users of Pula Hospital are far from impressed with these latest rules.
The body that came up with these new rules would do well to remember that people generally do not come to hospital because they want to, but because they have to. As of the 1st of October, parking charges will begin in the grounds of Pula Hospital: the first hour is free, and every subsequent started hour costs two euros. Poslovni reports that that sounds simple until you sit in the waiting room and realise that you don’t actually know whether you will be called in ten minutes or in two hours.
People generally aren’t rocking up at a hospital because they fancy a break. They come sick, injured, worried, devastated, waiting for test results, sitting down anxiously awaiting examinations, or as concerned companions to someone who cannot manage alone. It isn’t a walk in the park, nor is it predictable. Then, in addition to worrying about their health or the health of their loved ones, they now also apparently need to make sure they find mental room think about the clock that is ticking outside in the car park. After three hours of stay, the bill will amount to four euros, regardless of whether you spent the time at an examination or waiting for an examination.
The hospital says that by charging it wants to free up spaces for patients and that is a goal that makes sense. However, in typical Croatian style, this idea lacks logic and hasn’t been properly thought through whatsoever. It is hard to ignore that the bill will also be paid by those who are there precisely as patients with more than enough going on. Free parking is, however, provided for people on dialysis during the procedure and for oncology patients for the duration of any active therapy. While that is of course a good thing, it leaves even more room for confusion.
