2024-06-19 16:04:04
Solely a small variety of sufferers flip to medical doctors
Based on the State Illness Fund (VLK), final 12 months in Lithuania, 62.7 thousand folks used urine and faecal retention units reimbursed by the Obligatory Well being Insurance coverage Fund (PSDF). sufferers.
Nevertheless, it’s believed that in Lithuania, the issue of urinary incontinence is a minimum of a number of occasions better than the inhabitants. Thus, solely a small proportion of sufferers with this dysfunction dare to seek the advice of a physician or focus on this downside with a nurse and ask for assist. Even fewer folks search medical consideration for fecal incontinence.
Based on Irma Medžiašaitė, senior adviser of the VLK Medicines Reimbursement Division, it isn’t price being ashamed to seek the advice of a physician about troublesome issues, quite the opposite, it’s essential.
“After assessing the affected person’s threat elements and diploma of incontinence, the household physician will diagnose the well being dysfunction and be capable to write a prescription for the required compensatory measures. Then these instruments shall be distributed on the pharmacy less expensive, and for sufferers aged 75 and older, low-income individuals with disabilities and pensioners – freed from cost”, says I. Medžiusaitė.
If the household physician wants a extra thorough examination of the affected person, he can situation a referral for a session with a medical specialist.
Nurses can even situation a repeat prescription
A primary-time prescription for compensatory diapers, pads, or disposable sheets is issued by any doctor who diagnoses urinary or fecal incontinence. Later, nurses have the precise to prescribe these prescriptions. Nurses visiting disabled sufferers at residence can even write prescriptions for compensatory medical aids.
Based on VLK, nearly 228 thousand sufferers have been discharged final 12 months on account of urinary and fecal incontinence. to buy prescription diapers, pads and disposable sheets. That is 12 %. greater than in 2022
About 48 thousand yearly. compensatory medical help measures are prescribed by nurses. Final 12 months, the biggest variety of such prescriptions have been written by nurses working on the Antakalnis Polyclinic – 6,900, on the Kaunas Metropolis Polyclinic – 6,000, and on the Akmenė Well being Heart – 2,200.
Nevertheless, based on I. Medžiausaitė, there are nonetheless dozens of medical amenities in Lithuania the place nurses have written out only some prescriptions for compensatory medical help within the final 12 months.
“The suitable granted to nurses to put in writing prescriptions for compensatory medical help makes it simpler for sufferers to entry them, hurries up the method of buying the instruments and reduces the workload of medical doctors, so it is extremely vital that each nurses and sufferers boldly use this proper,” urges I. Mediushaitė.
What number of measures are compensated per thirty days?
If the physician has recognized urinary and/or fecal incontinence, the next measures compensated by the PSDF may be obtained inside a month:
It’s helpful to know that the set quantity of diapers may be modified to pads or disposable sheets by buying extra of the latter.
When pads are given to incontinent folks, the ratio for altering their amount is:
– 1 unit of diapers corresponds to 2 pads or
– 1 unit of diapers corresponds to 2 disposable sheets.
When prescribing common pads for sufferers with fecal and urinary incontinence, the next ratio is used:
– 3 items of diapers correspond to 4 pads for faeces and urine incontinence or
– 1 unit of diapers corresponds to 2 disposable sheets.
Final 12 months, 16.4 million was wanted to compensate medical aids for retention of urine and feces. EUR PSDF funds. That is 4 million. euros greater than in 2022. One other 7.2 million Final 12 months, nearly 52 thousand euros have been allotted from the state finances. to cowl affected person premiums for these measures. So even 82.6 % all sufferers utilizing compensatory urinary and fecal retention units acquired them freed from cost.
2024-06-19 16:04:04