The opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party appealed to the country’s officials last week, urging them to stop the reform of the healthcare network and to start a detailed and public review of it, to carry out an evidence-based assessment. The ruling conservatives rejected the criticism.
“Not a single reform passes without resistance, this is a major systemic change and apparently the ministry must prepare for such a change, first of all, by its arguments, by providing information, above all to those who will be affected by that reform,” the Speaker of the Seimas told LRT on Wednesday. “It gives the impression that it was not fully done and it is being explained when it has already been started, perhaps a little late.”
“I can’t answer why this happened, the ministry should be asked here, but obviously answers are needed, information is needed,” she added.
Recently, there have been reports of resignations of managers and doctors in different health care institutions. Former Minister of Health Aurelijs Veryga linked some of these cases to the ongoing reform.
V. Čmilytė-Nielsen, for her part, urged not to confuse these situations.
“The fact that there are questions, there is dissatisfaction with the changes, this is apparently natural. It really shouldn’t be confused with those individual cases, sometimes dictated by the political conjuncture, when, say, the management leaves or a group of doctors leave one or another hospital. Those things are not necessarily related, and usually they are not,” she said.
The health care reform was approved by the Seimas last year, after its implementation it is promised to provide more ambulatory services at the place of residence of patients and to reduce hospitalization.
New entities will be created in municipalities – health centers that would take care of public health, provide ambulatory health care services, emergency medical assistance, day services, inpatient services for internal diseases, and engage in long-term care.
However, part of the municipalities and the medical institutions themselves claim that the restructuring does not take into account the development of the network of medical institutions carried out so far, and as a result services will decrease in some regions.
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What are the potential impacts of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party’s concerns on the healthcare reform process?
**Interview with Dr. Rasa Kalinauskaitė, Healthcare Policy Expert**
**Editor**: Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Kalinauskaitė. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party has recently called for a halt to healthcare reforms. What are the main concerns regarding these reforms?
**Dr. Kalinauskaitė**: Thank you for having me. The primary concern from the opposition is that the proposed healthcare reforms lack sufficient public consultation and evidence-based evaluation. They believe such significant changes should undergo thorough assessments and involve the inputs of healthcare professionals, patients, and stakeholders to ensure that the reforms genuinely serve the public’s best interests.
**Editor**: The ruling conservatives have rejected this criticism. What reasons have they provided to defend the reforms?
**Dr. Kalinauskaitė**: The Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, emphasized that major reforms will inevitably face resistance. They argue that it’s crucial to move forward with necessary systemic changes to improve the healthcare system’s efficiency and accessibility. However, they have acknowledged the need for clearer communication from the ministry regarding the reforms and the rationale behind them.
**Editor**: In light of recent manager and doctor resignations linked to the reform process, how do these events fit into the wider narrative of the healthcare changes?
**Dr. Kalinauskaitė**: The reported resignations certainly raise red flags. Former Health Minister Aurelijs Veryga suggested that these resignations could be connected to discontent regarding the reforms. While it is important not to conflate these resignations exclusively with the reform process, they do highlight a prevailing sense of unease within the healthcare community that must be taken seriously.
**Editor**: Speaker Čmilytė-Nielsen mentioned that more information is needed. What steps should the ministry take to achieve better transparency during this reform process?
**Dr. Kalinauskaitė**: The ministry should prioritize open dialogue with all stakeholders in the healthcare system. This includes holding public forums, conducting surveys, and making detailed information available about the reforms’ objectives and expected outcomes. Transparency and engagement will be key to alleviating concerns and fostering trust among healthcare professionals and the public.
**Editor**: Thanks, Dr. Kalinauskaitė, for your insights on this important issue. We will continue to monitor the developments in the Lithuanian healthcare reform debate.
**Dr. Kalinauskaitė**: Thank you for having me. This is an essential conversation, and I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts.
