Patient transport services launches across Lithuania
From 1 July, a nationwide patient transport service is being launched in Lithuania. Patients who meet the criteria will be able to book a ride from their home to a medical facility and back by calling 1808. The development of this service will bring medical treatment closer to patients and thus help the most vulnerable population (due to health, poverty, age). The aim of the measure is to ensure that age, level of participation, health status or other factors do not constitute a barrier to accessing the health services needed.
A pilot patient transport scheme was launched in August last year in some municipalities of the country. From 1 July this year, the service is being extended to the whole of Lithuania and will be available in all 60 municipalities.
The Minister of Health, Arūnas Dulkys, pointed that patients in Lithuania have the freedom to choose both the medical institution and the doctor treating them. The expansion of patient transport to the whole of Lithuania increases patient mobility, ensuring that patients have access to the most relevant planned health services.
"The results of the patient transport pilot have shown that the transport service is relevant, addressing both access to treatment and social issues. Thousands of patients have already benefited from it. The expansion of the shuttle service to the whole of Lithuania removes another barrier and ensures the patient's right to choose a medical facility and receive timely medical care. The joint action of the state and municipalities for the benefit of patients is commendable," said the Minister.
"We thank the Government and the MoH for the constructive discussion, the outcome of which should meet the expectations of the population and provide a service to those who might otherwise find it more difficult to get to the right doctor in time. The fact that the service will be provided evenly across Lithuania is also a major advantage. I hope that over the summer we will learn how to use it, both in the outermost regions and in the municipalities around the major cities. And the municipalities will continue to care for and transport patients in need of dialysis," says Audrius Klišonis, Mayor of Plungė and Acting President of the Lithuanian Association of Municipalities.
According to Nerijaus Mikelionis, the head of the Ambulance Service, who will coordinate the transport service, most of the transport services will not be provided by GMP teams, but by the companies that have won public tenders to provide such services. "The results of the pilot project have shown that 90 % of the total number of such transport services are provided by public companies. Of course, if a person needs health care services during the transport, that is the job of GMP," said Mikelionis.
"Kaunas clinics provide treatment services to patients not only from Kaunas county - the latter account for a little more than 60 per cent of the total number of patients, while the rest of the patients (almost 40 per cent) come from other Lithuanian counties. Therefore, it is understandable that some of them do not have the possibility to come on their own, so the transport service becomes very important for them. We believe that thanks to this project we will improve the accessibility of services to the inhabitants of the regions," says Prof. Renaldas Jurkevičius, Director General of Kaunas Clinics, LSMU Hospital.
Results of the pilot version
The innovation - a pilot patient transport project - started on 1 August last year in 20 municipalities across the country. In order to collect relevant data, as well as to implement various technical and organisational solutions, the project was implemented in phases, involving different groups of patients: those in need of haemodialysis and transplantation services, those aged over 75, and those with disabilities. From 1 July this year, the shuttle service will continue for all these groups of patients, but with an extension of the geography to the whole territory of Lithuania.
During the eleven months of the pilot project, a total of 16,500 transport services were provided, of which 12,300 were for patients with kidney disease who periodically require haemodialysis. 1.7 thousand patients were transported to a medical facility for specialised outpatient services and over 700 for outpatient rehabilitation services. The largest number of transport services was provided to the residents of Vilkaviškis, Prienai, Lazdijai, Šakiai and Kaišiadorys municipalities.
From 1 July onwards, the transport services will be covered by the state budget and the National Health Insurance Fund, with the exception of haemodialysis, which will be reimbursed by municipalities.
Who is the transport service for?
The patient transport service is for people who:
- have a participation rate of 55 per cent or less, and are eligible for premium payments for reimbursable medicines due to insufficient income;
- have a level of disability and are entitled to a premium for reimbursable medicines due to insufficient income.
- persons aged 75 years and over who are entitled to a premium for reimbursable medicinal products on grounds of insufficient income;
- persons who need the transport service because of a medical condition.
Transport is divided into two types: non-specialised and specialised. The latter involves a person with medical training. This means that the escort service is provided in an ambulance and the patient's condition is monitored. In non-specialised transport, the patient is not accompanied by a medic.
How do I book?
You can book a patient transport service by calling the Hotline on the short number 1808. For more information, visit https://1808.lt/.
After checking the patient's eligibility, the hotline operator will allocate a vehicle to suit the patient's needs and arrange a time for the transfer. The shuttle service is scheduled and should be booked at least one month in advance and at least two working days in advance.
The service can be booked not only by the patient, but also by the person accompanying the patient, a social worker, a family member, a healthcare professional or other person. The patient may be accompanied by a companion or even a guide dog.
For more information on the legal framework of the Patient Transport Project, click here.