In order to provide the availability of basic services of health care and basic pharmaceuticals to persons with low income as well as progress of health care sector reforms within the network of Social Security Network Strategy, the following measures are taken in health care sector:
- Creation of compensation scheme for covering patient's medical payment Within the framework of said measures, patient's medical payment is compensated to persons with low income as well as the basic service is covered thus providing the availability of health care and timely visit at physician in the medical institution.
- Compensation of pharmaceuticals for patients in the amount of 100%
Within the framework of measures, patient's co-payment is covered for needy persons and persons whose income does not exceed 120 lats when purchasing pharmaceuticals within the framework of compensation scheme.
- Creation of compensation scheme for covering patients' stay at hotel (stay at "hospital hotels")
Within the framework of measures, compensation for hotel-type beds introduced in the hospital is provided for needy persons and persons with low income. Thus health care services are made available for patient by means of ambulatory instead of treatment in hospital and it is covered from state budget.
- Providing health care services at home for patients with serious diseases
Within the framework of measures it is intended to provide health care services at home for patients with chronic diseases thus reducing the necessity for hospital services.
- Concentration of hospital services for patients with mental diseases by expanding care in day centres thus reducing the number of beds
Within the framework of measures it is intended to provide equal opportunities to all Latvian residents so that they can receive mental health care thus increasing the role of family doctors and providing the opportunity for patients with mental health problems to receive health care possibly close to the place of residence and include patients in society.
- Improvement of primary health care service availability by attracting the second nurse to family doctor's private practice
The second nurse is attracted to family doctor's practices. The second nurse would call patients to preventive medical checks, educate patients of family doctor about healthy life style, physical activities, provide the care and education (training) of patients with chronic diseases, identify the needy patients registered at family doctor's.
- Introduction of family doctors' phone for consultations (when family doctor is unavailable)
Introduction of phone for consultations would provide a possibility for patient to acquire the necessary medical consultation in case of acute illness and exacerbation of chronic diseases after doctor's visiting hours.
- Providing day hospital services
In order to improve the quality of secondary ambulatory services and simultaneously provide uninterrupted treatment and care, it is necessary to develop ambulatory structural units in hospitals or day hospitals thus providing the possibility to reduce treatment period in hospitals and number of total hospitalizations.
For more information see homepage of the Ministry of Health.