The primary health care provider that a patient chooses, has to be part of the public health network (must be in a contractual relationship with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia). The patient chooses his or her primary care physician. It does not matter whether the primary care physician is working within his solo practice, a group practice or a health care center. The personal physician Ð not GPs in general Ð is supposed to be the entrance point to the system (gatekeeper). She/he is tracking the health status of her/his patients, as well as treating them and prescribing them medicines, and maintaining files and records. Slovenia established a typical gatekeeper system, which means that the patient has the right to be treated by a specialist only (on the basis of the referral) in cases in which her or his personal physician has determinthenecessity. The only exceptions are cases in which chronic diseases are present and there is a need for long-term treatment by certain specialists. In such cases, the personal physician can transfer some of her or his authority to other consulting specialists or to hospitals. In such cases, the relevant specialist or hospital has to report back to the personal physician about the patientÕs progress on a regular basis. If the patient selects a private provider who does not have a contract with the HIIS, she or he is obliged to cover the costs of services rendered by such a provider in full and out of pocket. Referrals by the personal physician to specialists can include consultation and/or diagnostic procedures and/or treatment. When treatment is included in the referral, the specialist must provide the patient with all services that are needed, including the relevant prescriptions and follow-up visits.