ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 2013 is better understood and accepted. Educators employed by the children’s homes are more zealous and their endeavor to monitor the health of the beneficiaries and to have them undergo through preventative medical check-ups are appreciated. Sometimes outpatient clinics where the beneficiaries of small family-type children’s homes are registered are located far away making it difficult to monitor the health status of these children.134 Furthermore, in some cases, beneficiaries have to wait in queue all day long to have an appointment with a physician. Beneficiaries of children’s homes are provided with outpatient services usually at primary healthcare centers, according to a geographical principle. Inpatient services are provided at children’s hospitals in Tbilisi and medical centers in the regions. Healthcare services provided to beneficiaries of small family-type children’s homes are financed through State-issued insurance vouchers. However, similar to what we have been saying in our previous reports, the voucher-funded insurance does not cover or take into consideration the specific needs and peculiarities inherent in teenagers and adolescents; this is something that eventually affects the whole effectiveness of available medical services. The monitoring revealed that in some cases, when children needed medical assistance, the actual provision of the assistance was delayed due to the insurance-related problems. In the period of adolescence, endocrine and puberty disorders are not uncommon. Sometimes eyesight correction and wearing of glasses become necessary. Medical tests are usually sponsored by provider organizations. The insurance does not cover dental and orthodontic services. There is a practice of providing dental services to beneficiaries at private dental clinics; such dental services are covered by the organizations running the children’s homes on contractual basis. We positively evaluate the fact that, thanks to the efforts of some providers, a number of beneficiaries are provided with expensive medical tests and surgeries. MANAGEMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES QQ Pursuant to the Childcare Standards, service providers shall make their internal regulations available to any interested person. The internal regulations, inter alia, must contain rules on how to avoid catching infectious diseases. Basic rules (to frequently vent the rooms, to wash hands, etc.) are sometimes posted in the educators’ rooms but most times they are stored in binders. Some of the children’s homes do not have internal regulations in writing at all. If beneficiaries get infected with infectious diseases, the children’s homes are unprepared to isolate the infected children from others to avoiding infection spreading. Only the children’s homes run by “SOS Children’s Villages Georgia” have additional rooms for purposes like this. Anti-flu immunization was carried out within the 2013 State Programme for the first time. A majority of children’s homes population was immunized against influenza. DRUG SUPPLY AND MONITORING OF MEDICAL TREATMENT QQ Access to medical services implies the ability to be consulted and treated by physicians. Effectiveness of treatment greatly depends on the patients’ compliance with doctor-prescribed rules of drug administration. Small family-type children’s homes have first aid medications and prescription drugs. A majority of educators does not have a clear understanding about when painkillers should be administered and their side effects. Recommendations: To the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Protection QQ To ensure that medical documentation is produced and maintained in a complete manner; QQ To ensure that beneficiaries are timely provided with adequate medical services; 134 Small Family-Type Children’s Home “Virtue”, Bezhanishvili Street No. 8, Caritas Georgia. NPM Report 64