In order to improve the availability of medical assistance and doctor’s consultations for citizens during the period of spread of viral diseases, the working hours of on-call doctors have been extended until the end of January, and many family doctor’s practices provide consultations to their patients outside of normal working hours and on holidays. Residents are invited to follow up-to-date information on the website of the National Health Service (NVD) “Where to get medical help?”, as well as on the institution’s official social network accounts on Twitter and Facebook.
Improving access to medical care is a significant benefit for residents in case of sudden illness requiring medical attention, as well as support for Emergency Medical Service (EMS) medics, who currently work in emergency situations and receive a large number of calls related to simple illnesses, not life-threatening . NVD has also used such a flexible approach in the past, when there was a very high incidence of various viral diseases, including during an influenza epidemic. NVD has invited both doctors on call and family doctors to evaluate the possibilities of providing services on a larger scale and thanks those doctors who agreed to such a solution.
The appointment time of on-call doctors has been extended
In January, on-call doctors will serve patients two hours longer than before. The doctor on duty provides the same help as you can get from your family doctor, including prescribing medicine or opening a disability sheet, evaluating each case individually. The on-call doctor is available when the family doctor’s working hours are over, or the person does not yet have a family doctor, or there is another reason and urgent help is needed in case of a sudden or simple illness.
Information on the availability of on-call doctors can be found in the NVD website www.vmnvd.gov.lv section “Where to get medical help?” or by calling the NVD free information phone number 8000 1234 on weekdays.
Family doctor’s practices are also available after normal working hours and on holidays
Almost 250 GP practices have agreed to provide services to their patients outside working hours and on holidays in January. Help is available both in the form of telephone consultations (mainly from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. or 4.00 p.m.) and in person at practices during certain hours. Currently, most of the practices are available outside of working hours in Riga, but NVD also addresses doctors working in the regions in order to expand availability and, if necessary, patients can receive medical assistance. Currently, in places where there is no doctor on call, you can get medical help by contacting the nearest paramedic.
Information about the working hours of family doctors can be found on the website of NVD www.vmnvd.gov.lv in the section “Where to get medical help?” or by calling NVD’s free information phone number 8000 1234 on weekdays.
Consultation telephone of family doctors – available 24/7 on holidays
Residents can get medical advice in the case of a simple illness or exacerbation of a chronic disease by calling the Family Doctors’ hotline 66016001. Specialists provide consultations on weekdays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., while on holidays and public holidays – around the clock.
Doctors give advice on what to do if you have a high temperature, a cold, pain in the throat or ear, vomiting, diarrhea, sprains or bruises, back pain, etc. in cases of simple illnesses. It should be noted that it is not possible to receive disability sheets and drug prescriptions by calling this phone number!
Anyone can get all the information about available state-paid medical assistance by calling NVD’s free information phone number 8000 1234. Working hours – from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., as well as in the “Where to get medical help?” section of the NVD website www.vmnvd.gov.lv.
