Family doctors are anxiously awaiting the first working day after the holiday weekend, as on May 5, rules come into force that will allow a doctor to issue a referral to a patient only in electronic form in the e-health system (e-veselība).
On May 5, amendments to the rules regarding the unified electronic information system in the healthcare sector come into force, according to which doctors will no longer be able to issue referrals in paper format. The implementation of electronic referrals began on November 20, and the transition period lasted until May of this year. The changes are justified by the introduction of the principle 'One referral - one record' to reduce the number of missed appointments, make the patient scheduling system more transparent, and improve the planning and organization of healthcare services.
However, there are still many shortcomings in the system, so long queues to doctors should be expected.
'I am confident that we are not ready for this,' said Ainis Dzalbs, president of the Latvian Association of Rural Family Doctors.
However, Dzalbs notes that e-veselība remains a painful topic for doctors, and most family doctors prefer not to work with this system directly, instead using various so-called integrator systems that are more convenient and allow for more information to be retained. Doctors are concerned that new problems with referrals may arise starting May 5. There are still quite a few obvious shortcomings in the system, integrator systems are not always fully compatible, and this could lead to a new healthcare accessibility crisis.
'If this integration has not been fully realized, and there are only a couple of days left until its implementation, then we will again face a significant crisis and endless queues,' says Dzalbs.
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