During the last year, the number of both inpatient and outpatient treated patients has increased significantly, and the volume of laboratory and diagnostic examinations has also increased significantly, according to RAKUS’ activity report for the first six months of this year.
In the first six months of this year, 49,895 patients were served in the Emergency Medicine and Patient Reception Clinic (NMPUK) of Eastern Hospital, which is 10,396 patients or 26.3% more than in the first six months of 2023.
The flow of patients has increased rapidly at NMPUK, and as many as 250 patients have been registered in one day. From January to June 2024 of this year, 31,132 patients were treated in the RAKUS hospital, their number increasing by 3.9% or 1,172 patients during the reporting period, compared to the analogous period in 2023.
During this time, 29,391 operations were performed on RAKUS inpatients – 4,210 operations more than in the first six months of 2023.
On the other hand, during the reporting period, 168,767 outpatient visits or consultations were provided, and the volume of outpatient services, compared to the first half of 2023, has increased by 13.5%, or by 20,018 visits or consultations.
The number of remote consultations has increased by 82% compared to the corresponding period of 2023. In the six months of this year, 35,366 remote consultations were provided, or 21% of all outpatient visits or consultations, and in the six months of 2023 – 19,429 remote consultations.
The most – 43% of remote consultations during the reporting period were provided by nutritionists and nurses in matters of clinical nutrition. 12% of consultations were provided by infectious disease specialists. Dermatologists and venereologists provided 7% of consultations, and hematologists also provided 7% of remote consultations.
The number of laboratory examinations performed for ambulatory patients, including day hospital patients, in the reporting period, compared to the corresponding period of 2023, has increased by 17%, providing 629,607 examinations.
In February 2024, RAKUS Laboratory Service opened the fourth analysis acceptance point available to any patient in the “Biķernieki” inpatient facility, which provides all types of laboratory examinations – both those that are most often prescribed to patients by doctors and those that require higher-level diagnostics at the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory.
The analysis reception point can serve up to 100 patients per day, and the patients of the “Biķernieki” inpatient facility of Eastern Hospital are now also provided with urgent analyzes within two hours if necessary.
On the other hand, in the Radiology Center, in the six months of 2024, the number of examinations was 5.8% higher than in the corresponding period of the previous year: 119,593 examinations were provided in the six months of 2024, and 113,022 examinations in the six months of 2023.
More and more procedures and examinations are offered to patients in day hospitals of various profiles, significantly reducing treatment time. To ensure this, the doctor, already providing an outpatient consultation, evaluates the possibility of faster receipt of day hospital services.
Compared to the six months of 2023, in the six-month period of 2024, both the number of outpatient consultations has increased – by 20,018 consultations, or 13.5%, and the number of patients served in the day hospital – by 1,785 patients, or 10.6%.
The largest number of patients was in ophthalmology, chemotherapy, surgery and hemodialysis day inpatients. The number of operations performed in day inpatients during the reporting period compared to the six months of 2023 has increased by 11.1%, reaching 19,284 operations, or 1,928 operations more than in the first half of 2023.
As the mentioned statistical data show, the increase in the number of patients and the increase in the volume of medical services provided by Eastern Hospital in all segments is significant.
RAKUS claims that as the Ministry of Health (MOH) understands the pressing problem caused by the significant influx of patients, the issue of compensation for the overflow of medical services in the outpatient sector has been successfully resolved in the first six months of the year.
At the same time, the most effective solution is still being sought for the payment of inpatient emergency services and laboratory examinations according to the actual flow of patients.
During the reporting period, Eastern Hospital specialists carried out innovative operations, provided assistance to Ukrainian soldiers who suffered severely as a result of the Russian invasion, cooperated in solving important strategic issues for the Latvian medical industry, continued to develop international cooperation within the framework of various projects, as well as to implement the started construction projects for the expansion of the hospital, modern treatment and personnel environment for building and improving the patient experience.
According to Normund Staņēvičs, chairman of the board of RAKUS, half-yearly statistics show that the hospital has fully met the ever-increasing demand, and the Ministry of Health (MoH) has so far understood and appreciated the contribution of doctors, nurses and nursing staff, which are essential for strengthening the Latvian healthcare system.
Staņevičs expresses that the most effective solution is still being sought in the issue of payment for inpatient emergency services, as well as compensation for laboratory examinations, because it is clear that their increase is closely related to the increase in the flow of patients and without them it is impossible to make reasonable decisions about the future treatment of any patient.
2024-08-23 02:32:29