All those criticizing the planned changes in the field of Klaipėda’s primary health care system began to say that the decision to move the sailors’ polyclinic from the dormitory on Taikos Prospect to the third polyclinic will reduce the patients’ ability to access doctors.
However, it is easy to see in the Klaipėda plan that the dispute is about one kilometer. The location for the new seamen’s polyclinic on Birutė Street is 1 kilometer from the current dormitory, and the third polyclinic is 2 kilometers away.
Against this decision, members of the opposition Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservatives) first stood up.
“But of course. Why is the opinion of workers and patients interesting here? Let’s all pile up. will come We will say that we are saving the citizens’ money, we will not allow it to be wasted – it will sound good, Klaipėda citizens will believe and be happy,” Seimas member Audrius Petrošius wrote on the social network.
It is clear that the leaders of the Seamen’s Health Care Center and the Klaipėda Old Town Primary Health Care Center were not satisfied with the city government’s plans. However, these institutions are under the authority of the Municipality, so publicly criticizing decisions requires courage.
Therefore, polyclinic managers do not speak much.
Managers don’t talk much
Saulius Dabravalskis, the head of the Seamen’s Polyclinic, says that his position has not changed since the beginning of the summer.
“How many public personal health centers Klaipėda needs is decided by the founder of these institutions. It is important that both the public and private sector ambulatory personal health care services provided to Klaipėda residents are available in various parts of the city of Klaipėda. Citizens must be given a choice. An excellent example of this in Lithuania is the Kaunas City Polyclinic”, S. Dabravalskis answered a question from “Vakaurus Express” back in June.
Loreta Žilinskienė, chief doctor of Klaipėda Old Town Polyclinic, was indignant that we interrupted her by phone during non-working hours – 12:25 p.m.
After replying that the official working hours are indicated until 12:30 p.m., the answer was heard that phone consultations are until 9:40 a.m.
“I don’t want to,” L. Žilinskienė finally snapped, when asked to express her opinion on the planned reform of polyclinics in the port city.
“It’s not necessary to crowd everyone into one place,” sighs the temporary head of the Klaipėda City Polyclinic, Alfreda Pangonienė, but she does not want to comment further on the situation.
Earlier, she admitted to “Vakāru ekspres” that the polyclinic building really needs repairs, as the windows were last changed 25 years ago, although the roof is not leaking yet.
Predicted diseases
However, former employees of the system have the courage to speak.
“The proximity of personal health care facilities to the patient is the most important reason why all polyclinics should not be brought to one place,” Vida Butkienė, former head of the Women’s Consultation of the Klaipėda Seamen’s Health Care Center, spoke publicly from the Klaipėda tribune at the Klaipėda City Council meeting last week. She worked at the Seamen’s Polyclinic for two decades.
The proximity of personal health care facilities to the patient is the most important reason why all polyclinics should not be brought to one place.
“And dear ones, I would like to ask you to stay away from partisanship and personal interests. How are you today? It is likely that you will get sick”, V. Butkienė prophesied the future to the members of the City Council from the tribune.
She also drew attention to the need for a broader discussion, and suggested asking patients’ opinions about the planned transformation of Klaipėda’s primary health care system.
She also denied rumors that the reshuffle is being criticized in order to save warm seats.
“If it seems to you that someone is working for their seat and causing trouble, they are just like you – they are not eternal, they are limited by competitions, terms of office and so on,” V. Butkienė said.
However, as if by agreement, she seconded S. Dabravalskis and gave a good example – Kaunas, where a new polyclinic is about to be built.
Patient opinion
“Vakāru ekspresas” also inquired about patients’ opinions on the reform of polyclinics and how important is the distance to the doctor for them.
Neringa Venckienė, head of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Klaipėda County, says that there is a real lack of information about what changes are planned for the restructuring of polyclinics.
“We are not typical patients, with our diagnosis services are provided in the hospital,” says N. Venckienė.
According to her, patients usually go to a specific doctor and distance is not really the most important thing.
It’s no secret that residents of the port city go to Kaunas or Vilnius to see specialists.
“The most important thing is to be able to get a voucher to see a doctor,” says N. Venckienė.
Changed the polyclinic
The fact that patients do not choose a treatment facility, but a specific doctor, is confirmed by another example.
“For ten years, my children and I were registered with a family doctor in a private polyclinic,” said Ingrida from Klaipėda (name and surname known to the editors).
According to her, the private clinic was in a very convenient location, 100 meters from the house. However, the family doctor made a decision to change her workplace and went to work in another private polyclinic.
“The other polyclinic is 2 kilometers away, it’s really inconvenient, but we’re used to the doctor, she knows all the histories of diseases, she suits us and likes it, so we didn’t want to change anything and switched to another polyclinic,” Ingrid tells her story.
She says that many other patients of the doctor who changed her workplace did the same.
The next polyclinic is 2 kilometers away, it’s really inconvenient, but we are used to the doctor, she knows all the histories of the diseases, suits us and likes it, so we didn’t want to change anything and changed to another polyclinic.
A long process
Klaipėda’s vice-mayor Vaida Raugele told “Vakaru ekspres” that neither patients, nor doctors, nor heads of institutions should be afraid of the planned transformation.
“It is a long process that will last about five years. There are valid legal acts and many procedures and actions need to be performed to implement the reform,” said V. Raugelė.
Teodoros Biliūnas/BNS photo/Vaida Raugelė
According to her, during that time, the heads of polyclinics will also be able to change, as their term of office will end. She also emphasized that major changes should also take place in the field of doctors.
“In the next few years, we will face a situation when about 50 percent of primary health care doctors will be of retirement age,” V. Raugelė names the threats.
V. Butkienė reminds that the study carried out by independent experts suggests both the construction of a new building for the seamen’s polyclinic and the renovation of the third polyclinic.
“During this funding period, EU support is provided for only one polyclinic,” says V. Raugelė.
According to her, it was chosen to fix the Klaipėda city polyclinic first, because its building is 2.5 times larger than the planned new polyclinic for seafarers.
“First of all, the part of the building of the third polyclinic, where the Klaipėda city public health office and social support center are now located, will be renovated, then the rest of the building, one floor at a time,” V. Raugelė reveals the plans.
According to her, the task is to make optimal use of the building area during the reconstruction. Universal offices will be installed, the area of unnecessary corridors will be reduced.
“Doctors will be able to settle in modern, well-arranged offices”, V. Raugelė names the goal.
Do not confuse reforms
According to V. Raugele, although the decision was made today to stop the construction of the seamen’s polyclinic building, this does not mean that this project will not be returned to in the future. It will depend on the need for premises and the city’s financial capabilities.
Some of the doctors of the seamen’s polyclinic are currently working in the building at Pievų Tako str. 38, Klaipėda (former VšĮ Klaipėda city dental polyclinic). However, the building belongs to the State Enterprise Property Fund. The Seamen’s Health Care Center uses these premises according to the use agreement, which is valid until March 31, 2024.
V. Raugelė notes that two different reforms should be distinguished, which will simultaneously affect the primary health care system in Klaipėda city.
This building is also in need of repair.
However, V. Raugelė notes that two different reforms should be distinguished, which will simultaneously affect the primary health care system in the city of Klaipėda.
The concentration of institutions belonging to the municipality of Klaipėda in the third polyclinic and the issue of building management are not directly related to the creation of medical health care centers initiated by the Ministry of Health.
“As contracts are currently being coordinated, 38 private and state medical institutions, proportionally distributed throughout the city, will participate in the activities of the center being created,” says V. Raugelė.
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