No. 10, 2014
CENTRE PLUS NEWS Health Care Services (Ambulance and Primary Health Care)
Lithuanian national health in-
stitutions provide personal and public health care services and carries out pharmaceutical activities. Health care is public, private and budgetary. These services are provided by health care institutions which are responsible for the basic medical care and provide planned health care services. Anyone who is registered at the primary health care facility which had entered into an agreement with the National Health Insurance Fund receives health care services for free. Health care services can be provided on the primary and secondary levels. Primary health care services are available to all residents of Lithuania and are focused on the main health problems of patients. Primary individual and public health care is organized by municipal executive bodies. First of all a patient consults his family doctor who decides what kind of help the patient needs. The family doctor must know the main features of diseases and conditions which are prescribed to his competence and preventive measures. He must be familiar with the indications of the most commonly used medications, as well as potential side effects. Family doctor services are paid by Health Insurance Fund.
Existing law provides that the patient has the right to choose a primary health care facility and a doctor. So, to register at a clinic and become the client of it, choose a health care facility, its unit and contact a reception desk, where you shall fill out an application to receive a treatment by a chosen doctor. An identity document, i.e. permit for temporary or permanent residence in Lithuania must be presented at the time of registration. If you are the patient of any health care facility of Lithuania, but you want to get an advice from the professional doctor of other clinic, then you need to have your family physician`s referral and to register for consultation at the other clinic within 1 month
from the date of referral issue. The referral of the family physician gives an opportunity to register and get a free consultation within 30 days in any health care facility in Lithuania. If you want to receive an immediate service or cannot wait, then you can be given a paid service. In recent years, it is rapidly increasing the number of private primary health care facilities, which employ one or more family doctors. These companies make their contracts with health insurance funds, so the services of family doctor are free of charge. Among largest and most popular private health care facilities in Vilnius are Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Centre (www. medcentras.lt), Northway Medical Centre (www.nmc.lt).