Significant reduction in MMC processing times may impact quality – MIHR analyst

The reduction in processing times for military medical commissions (MMCs) in Ukraine was initiated to improve accessibility, but it may lead to issues with the quality of examinations.

This topic was covered during the presentation of the study “Blind Spots of the MMC: How the Examination System Works in Ukraine,” at the Media Center Ukraine by co-author Iryna Yakovets, an analyst at the Media Initiative for Human Rights.

“We focused on the timelines and quality of MMC processing. According to current regulations, conscripts are allotted up to 10 days, and active military personnel are allotted up to 15 days, to complete the MMC. However, the National Security and Defense Council later decided to shorten these deadlines. Let me clarify: this decision was well-intentioned, aimed at reducing wait times and streamlining the process. Currently, the typical MMC processing time is just 2–3 days. At least, this was the timeframe recorded during the Ministry of Health’s audit of MMCs in Kyiv and Kyiv oblast,” Yakovets explained.

At the same time, she emphasized that faster processing could compromise examination quality.

“However, this raises an issue that everyone is talking about. Under current procedures (Order No. 402), there is a list of mandatory tests and analyses to be completed when undergoing an MMC. The problem is that healthcare institutions often interpret the directive literally. Under pressure to meet the two- to three-day deadline, they often rush the process. However, quality should not be sacrificed for speed. Some of these tests and examinations simply cannot be completed properly within such a short timeframe,” the analyst noted.

She added that there are no formal directives mandating a strict three-day limit.

“The two- to three-day guideline promoted by the Ministry of Health and the National Security and Defense Council isn’t an absolute rule. We found no official instruction stating that MMCs must be completed in two to three days. The emphasis is on minimizing processing times where possible, but not at the cost of reducing the quality or comprehensiveness of the required examinations under Order No. 402. Unfortunately, these shortcomings and oversights still persist at the local level,” Yakovets summarized.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news