In other words, a person will no longer be able to queue at several institutions, but only at one.
People LTV met at the medical institutions all confirm that the waiting time is long. Nobody denies that this is the case. For example, at the Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS), several registrations have been filled until next summer.
"The most in demand is MRI. There is a waiting list of two years, elsewhere it is not so crazy. There are as many specialists as there are. The National Health Service (NVD) quotas are what they are. And we have to plan our work," said Dace Žentiņa, a member of the Stradiņš Hospital board.
The situation is similar for private institutions providing state-funded services. "The biggest queues are for endocrinology, gynecology - six months there, for the others three months - pulmonology, cardiology," said Kristine Ozolina-Kaletova, administrative director of "Health Center 4".
The main reason for the queues is a lack of specialists and money.
"Although this year an additional €16 million has been allocated to reduce queues, unfortunately they are not decreasing," said Baiba Bērziņa, Head of the Outpatient Services Division of the NVD.
However, those who organize the daily work of doctors have noticed that the queues are made up of both chronic patients and those who make appointments in several places: "These are artificial queues, in fact, they are shorter. Because a patient who needs a state-funded service signs up everywhere - in five institutions. You go to one, but you don't cancel at four others. When we call, one out of 10 comes."
Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri knows this and sees three solutions to reduce the queues, which need to be implemented in a comprehensive way. There will be a single appointment queue, more budget places for new doctors and greater involvement of general nurses.
Operational data on queue lengths can be monitored on the website rindapieřsta.lv or by calling the NVD information line at 80001234 . For example, it shows that a cardiologist can be reached within five days in Rūjiena, within a month in Jelgava or Jūrmala, but only after half a year - at Stradiņš Hospital. The fact that people often want to see a particular doctor plays a big role.
