Health care services you may obtain out-patient in a particular time and place - in out patient clinics, health centres, out patient departments and receiving-rooms of hospitals are considered as outpatient health care. For example, consultations provided by specialists, different examinations and other services. (See all groups of peeople who in Latvia can recieve State-funded health care.)
In order to receive out patient consultations with specialists, to perform diagnostic examinations or other out patient health care services covering only a patient contribution, you shall turn to a family doctor before. A doctor will evaluate your health condition and issue a referral if required. Also specialised doctors may issue referrals.
It shall be noted that only a specialised doctor shall be entitled to issue a referral to state-funded magnetic resonance imaging or scintigraphy examination. In order to receive referral to state-funded medical services, you shall make a state-funded visit to the doctor. During the paid visit a doctor shall not be entitled to issue a referral for the receipt of state-funded care.
- If you have received a referral issued by a family doctor or a specialised doctor, please, turn to any medical institution providing the respective service for state funds.
- However, please, take into account the fact that a particular number of patients per month are set for each medical institution, for the provision of services to which the state has undertaken to pay. If the number of patients registered in a particular month exceeds the planned number, the patients are re-registered for the next month.
- In the case if you have to be on a waiting list for receipt of state-funded health care service in one medical institution, then a patient shall be entitled to turn to another medical institution, where there are no waiting list or it is smaller.
- It is possible to freely choose a place, where to receive state-funded health care service - regardless of the city, where you live, or a medical institution, where your family doctor works.
- During falling ill for one time and visiting one and the same specialist for several times, a repeated referral of a family doctor is not required. Referrals do not have a limited period of validity. Thus the referral, for example, for diagnostic examination or to a specialist shall be valid without limited term, while the particular service is topical for a patient (it may be evaluated by a doctor) and a patient has received a service. Referral for the Health and Work Ability Expertise Commission shall be considered as an exception being valid for one month after the issue.