The future of Estonian healthcare

All hospitals should have a unified IT system in Estonia for several reasons: Data Uniformity and Consistency: A unified IT system ensures that all patient data is standardized and consistent across the country. Efficient and Rapid Information Sharing: When all hospitals use the same system, information flow is much faster and more …

The fee-for-service (FFS) payment model has outlived its usefulness (Porter, Kaplan 2013). Currently, a significant portion of our healthcare system's funding, particularly in specialized care (both in the public and private sectors), is still based on the FFS model. Under this model, the entire financial risk is borne by the …

Recently, the media has highlighted how drug manufacturers and wholesalers optimize expenses related to medications, including rebates, etc. Amidst all this, the pharmacy pricing reform has clearly been sidelined. Pharmacy markups were established over 20 years ago, and we have now reached a point where it is easier, simpler, and …

Püüame ühiselt aru saada haiguste patogeneesist. Siis saab ka kõige õigemaid ravimeetodeid kasutusele võtta. Lisaks analüüsime oma andmeid ning teeme teadmiste mitte emotsioonide põhiseid otsuseid.

My recommendation would be to make ambulance services paid. Since I work in the ambulance service in Tallinn, I see how many calls are not emergencies but rather a convenience service. It's easy to call 112, and three staff members come and give paracetamol – people have no sense of …

A significant part of the shortage of doctors is due to the fact that they go abroad to work after graduating. The shortage of nurses, on the other hand, is caused by the fact that they move to the private sector, for example, to aesthetic medicine. If a requirement were …

Estonia needs a modern and specialized emergency medical helicopter! Our emergency medical system is of very high quality. However, distances are long, and the timely and safe transport of time-critical patients to hospitals could be faster and more secure. To ensure that rapid emergency medical assistance reaches everyone, Estonia needs a specialized …

If any doctor would care to treat a patient without prescribing medication, by adjusting diet, attitude, and breathing. I understand it's a vain hope. As long as doctors get paid for prescribing pills, nothing will change.

Family doctor visits for a fee

In my opinion (and unfortunately also based on personal life experiences), there is a lot of inefficiency and duplication of costs in our healthcare system. If a family doctor "hesitates" to order an extended blood test, the patient ends up in the emergency room where the test is done, and …

Radiological images must be visible to everyone.

Health is often shaped outside the healthcare system. As a society, if we know that we cannot cope with rising healthcare costs for various reasons, and at the same time, evidence-based prevention as a field is underutilized, we must also make use of this underutilized area systematically, purposefully, and thoughtfully. …

According to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, predicting what will not change in the future is often much easier than predicting what will. In healthcare, the constant is the patient-caregiver relationship. Regardless of technological advancements, people will always need another person to care for them—this is inherent in our nature. The question …

Combine part of the study period in medicine and nursing so that more is learned together from the beginning. This will make it easier to truly understand each other, appreciate each other's professions, and collaborate better at work.

Rewrite healthcare legislation from scratch into a cohesive framework. Reform funding to include both base funding and performance-based funding. Integrate funding for emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency departments (ER), and align the principles of primary care and hospitals both in content and finances. Increase investment in health maintenance, including more health education …

Optimize the home nursing service. It seems that the Health Insurance Fund has not audited this service. Based on personal experience, a family nurse in Tallinn spends time driving through the city during rush hour, only to spend less than 5 minutes with a patient to fill a gap in …

It's crucial, especially in light of the current austerity measures, to focus on internal optimization within the healthcare system. This also includes putting a stop to the arms race among hospitals. Optimization is possible in all areas, but here are some specific proposals: In Tallinn, we currently maintain four neonatal intensive …

Create and expand national grants and funding programs that encourage the adoption of green technologies and solutions in healthcare facilities. These grants would help cover initial investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

The idea has two parts. Firstly, employers could contribute to their employees' health tax-free, increasing the annual amount from the current €400 to €1,000. I dare to say that many employers who currently invest €400 per year in their employees' health would do so to a much greater extent if they …

Family doctors should be able to link work and health, so training in this area would be necessary. This would enable and authorize them to diagnose work-related illnesses. Currently, the occupational health service provider operating in the market is almost a monopoly, resulting in unreasonable prices, long waiting times, and …

Having recently graduated in nursing myself, I find that reducing dropout rates and increasing the number of skilled procedural nurses can be achieved by making nursing a three-tiered profession: a 2-year practical training with a vocational category of procedural nurse, a nurse with a higher education, and a specialist nurse. …

To reduce the burden on doctors and the "running around" of chronic patients between various specialists, at least two laws need to be reviewed and potentially amended. These are the Work Ability Assessment Act and the Disability Assessment Act. The principle of both laws is that patients with chronic illness(es) …

Reduced VAT for medical devices would increase hospitals budget's capacity. As an example - in Lithuania medical devices and pharmaceuticals have 5% VAT applied which allows hospitals to afford more with their limited budgets. At the moment in Estonia the reduced 9% VAT is applied mainly for certain medicine and …

Estonia has a strong IT system and a large amount of medical data is collected in TEHIK. However, this data is analyzed very little. As a result, decisions are often based on emotions rather than real data.

We want the lowest possible taxes, but world-class healthcare immediately, which presents a contradiction – there is not enough money. One option would be to expand the tax base and increase contributions – but a tax increase is not very popular. Another option is to introduce private insurance, which would, …

The role of public and private healthcare, as well as funding from public sources (Health Insurance Fund), needs clear regulations. Both have their place in Estonian healthcare. It would be optimal if these two systems complemented each other rather than competed for medical personnel. It is important to maintain public …

It is unclear to the stakeholders who is leading Estonian healthcare – whether it is the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Health Insurance Fund, the hospital directors, or perhaps someone else entirely. Without unified leadership and a clear vision for the future, it is very difficult to move forward.

In addition to „how to fund“ (public/private health insurance) it is also very important „what to fund.“ Prevention is better than cure! I think we should shift more focus on funding prevention, however, our healthcare system and legal framework is still too treatment based. For sure, treatment must be reimbursed …

In addition to the question of "how to fund" (public/private health insurance), it is also very important to address "what to fund". Prevention is better than cure! I believe we should focus more on funding prevention, but our healthcare system and legal framework are still too treatment-oriented. Of course, treatment …

Funding for private healthcare by the Health Insurance Fund has increased over the years, significantly boosting the number and proportion of outpatient visits to private clinics. The increased use of private healthcare is also attributed to the growth in purchasing power among Estonians - which, admittedly, has suffered greatly in …

High-quality healthcare is one of the cornerstones of a successful economy. When it keeps the people of Estonia as healthy as possible and extends their years of healthy life and life expectancy, it helps to improve and maintain the most important part of society, human capital. Although Estonians have considered healthcare …

Tervisekassa poolt erameditsiini rahastamine on aastatega kasvanud, mis on oluliselt suurendanud ambulatoorsete vastuvõttude arvu ja osakaalu erakliinikutes. Erameditsiini suurema kasutamise taga on ka Eesti inimeste ostujõu suurenemine - mis, tõsi küll, viimaste aastate ülikiire inflatsiooniga, tugevasti kannatada sai -, kuid peamiselt ikka hädavajadus kiirema arstiabi järele, kui praegune avalik tervishoiusüsteem …

Quality healthcare is one of the pillars of a successful economy. If it keeps Estonian people as healthy as possible and extends their healthy years and life expectancy, it helps improve and maintain the most important part of society, human capital. Although Estonian people have considered healthcare services to be of …

Long-term demographic changes have simultaneously placed two pressures on the healthcare system. Firstly, there is a need to enhance the solidarity-based insurance scheme, where a traditional employment contract worker alone cannot sustain the aging clientele of the healthcare system through their taxes. And secondly, is how to serve relatively more clients …

In Estonia, nearly 5% of people lack permanent health insurance, which is a problem for the entire society. We must strive towards expanding health insurance coverage to everyone, reaching universal health insurance, which is widespread in the European Union. Only this way can we ensure that our people receive necessary …

To secure additional funding for the healthcare sector, there are two options – allocate an increasing operational subsidy to the Health Insurance Fund from other tax revenues or increase the collection of health insurance contributions by expanding the tax base or sources of income from which health insurance contributions are …

My employer has been sending me to the occupational health doctor for years. Hands up, spin around, stick out your tongue – that's roughly how it goes. Each time, I'm left confused. Why is my employer paying for this service on my behalf? It seems like something that could easily …