Patient's Guide

Where to call if I'm sick?

*in cases of minor trauma, sudden disease or aggravation of a chronic disease, residents may contact:

***GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

AND DOCTOR'S ASSISTANTS

***OUTSIDE THE BUSINESS HOURS OF GENERAL PRACTITIONER

- call the CONSULTATIVE NUMBER OF GENERAL PRACTITIONER *(+371) 66016001 OR (+371) 67736350

- address PHYSICIANS ON DUTY

- go to URGENT MEDICAL CARE CENTRES

- address RECEPTION DEPARTMENTS AT HOSPITALS

*If someone's health or life is in danger:

***CALL*113*- emergency medical service

***CALL*03*- emergency medical service

***CALL*112*- general emergency service

*Round-the-clock urgent medical services are available at:

Jūrmala Hospital

Vienības pr. 19/21

Telephone of the reception: (+371) 67752254.

*Information on all state-funded healthcare services may also be received by calling the

FREE INFORMATIVE HOTLINE of the National Health Service: *(+371) 80001234*

*Why do queues for state-funded services develop?

The queues typically form for state-funded services, which patients wish to use by paying the patient fee only

This principally happens due to two reasons:

1. The government grants certain funding to each medical institution every year; this funding is taken as a basis for the planning of the amount of outpatient care available every month. This means that the funding granted by the state is limited, and, therefore, the number of patients that the institution can service by using state funding is limited, as a result of which, the queues are developed. The patients are not always ready to queue and, therefore, they opt for paid services, where the queues are shorter, because the medical institution can regulate them itself.

2. Several patients, who cannot wait for their queue, do not arrive for a visit or an examination due to various reasons without informing the reception, which results in extended waiting times for other patients.

*What is outpatient medical care?

Outpatient medical care is provided to the patients in the cases when hospitalisation at the inpatient institution or hospital is not required. Outpatient medical services can be received at health centres, outpatient hospitals (polyclinics), etc.

*What does the term patient fee mean?*

Medical services are divided into:

• paid services;
• state-funded services, where the patient provides co-funding, i.e. - *patient fee

The amount of the patient fee is determined by the government and it is the same at all outpatient medical institutions of Latvia.

*What does the term paid service mean?*

Paid services in medical care mean that the patients themselves cover the entire cost of a medical service. This price is determined by the medical institution where the patient undergoes treatment. Paid services can also be covered by means of insurance policies. Each insurance company and type of policy have different terms and conditions that determine what services and in what amount are covered by the policy.

*In what cases do the patients opt for paid services?*

• If the required medical service is not funded by the state.
• If the patient does not wish to wait in the queue for state-funded medical services.
• If the patient does not have the referral of a general practitioner or specialist physician.
• If the specialist who referred the patient is not in legal relations with the state.