Vilnius residents recounted how they try to obtain medical services at the largest polyclinic: tragicomedy.

Although the quarantine ended, of course, control of patient flows and security measures were maintained. However, in communicating with patients from other polyclinics in the capital, it is clear that other institutions currently have no major problems with patient access or the provision of remote services.

On the social network, patients at the Center’s polyclinic say they have been trying to call the reception of this institution since last week. I checked to see if I could really call to register. Of the three calls once, in the afternoon, the answering machine reported that all lines were busy and should be called later, immediately after notification, the connection was lost. When I call in the morning, the “robot interlocutor” informs me that the Center’s polyclinic number, which I dialed, does not exist at all. On the third call, the answering machine reported that all lines were busy and that it was possible to wait for the registrar to answer without interrupting the call. Still, regretting my awareness that I was straining the line even further, I no longer waited for the conversation.

Patients at the Center’s polyclinic also report such tests when they register.

Juozas de Vilnius wants to vaccinate the offspring according to the preventive vaccination schedule. After failing to apply for registration, he went to the polyclinic. He found a note on the door of the Lukiškės branch: “Visiting the polyclinic during quarantine is restricted. In accordance with the procedure established by legal acts, remote consultations and services are provided. To access the building, call (indicated by the phone number) “.

Why did the quarantine for all of Lithuania end and not for the polyclinics? Why do private institutions and the same doctors in private work work at full capacity? And this polyclinic turned off the registration phone and they don’t care, wrote the father who lived in Vilnius in a letter to the editorial office. “I will probably be forced to go privately, but the question is: who do I pay money to the state?”

The only option is online registration for a family doctor consultation, but readers often say they just want basic information about vaccines, preventive tests, etc.

“It just came to our attention then. Last week, all we needed to know was something simple: go to the Kalinauskas branch, join the live queue outside the door of the outpatient clinic, where two nurses meet and ask What they went to, one of the outpatients wrote on the social network, “It feels as if telephones and other means of communication no longer exist.”

“I needed to find the phone number for the X-ray office because I recorded a photo of my son’s knees so that the Sports Medicine Dispatcher couldn’t open the file. To finally get the photo, I tried to call the front desk, then I got to the queue live and the nurse who arrived said they didn’t know that phone number and told me to go directly to the X-ray office at the Diagnostic Center , outside the street. I went there, I let myself in when I said what I needed, he says: why do you have a floppy disk? I have no Well, on the way home again. I’ll bring a floppy disk. They don’t see anything when they open it (and recorded it themselves). Then I took the photo the way I finally got it and took it home. In a format as large as any image. Orally, tragicomedy ”, a patient at the Center Polyclinic shared an unpleasant experience.

Delfi contacted representatives of the Center Polyclinic regarding these problems. PASP Chief Nursing Administrator Aistė Raulušaitienė explained that a difficult situation regarding registration arose due to a temporary interruption of electricity supply due to reconstruction and a large flow of patient calls. The other representative of the polyclinic bases other problems on the orders of the ministry, which must comply so far.

What are the reasons why the registry is blocked? – I asked a representative of the polyclinic.

The Call Center is operating at full capacity, although it is vacation time, but this month we face several problems:

1) During the reconstructions of the Reformatai Square and the surrounding buildings, the electricity supply was interrupted up to 3 times this month, due to which the information system of the Call Center was interrupted. Providers are informed of situations and resolve them.

2) After canceling the quarantine, we encountered an endless stream of incoming calls, which also causes the Call Center information system to crash. There are 18,000 to 23,000 during the day on Mondays, and 7,000 to 8,000 on other days. A third of callers seek to register for a second level specialist consultation at our outpatient clinic even though they have enrolled in other institutions.

3) The interviews last up to 4-5 minutes, when it is necessary to explain to the patients that the services will be provided remotely without going to the institution, that the direct consultation requires an electronic delivery, that although the quarantine has been revoked, personal health care institutions must provide services. declared emergency procedure.

4) Registration of services in the call center takes place from 7 am to 8 pm. in the evening, so we recommend calling outside of peak hours, generally in the less busy afternoon. Please call no more than 15 minutes. without setting up automatic call dialing. We are grateful for the understanding and patience of the patients.

How is the work of the polyclinic going right now? Which patients come to the clinic?

Services in the institution are provided in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania for 2020. June 17 by order no. V-1504 “On approval of the description of the procedure to organize the provision of personal health care services in the event of an emergency at the state level in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania”:

1) In accordance with the established procedure, priority will be given to the remote provision of personal outpatient medical care services (prescription of medications and medical aids, consultations, issuance and continuation of electronic certificates of incapacity for work, consultations between doctors, appointment of necessary exams, nursing consultations). These services are registered by the Call Center, but also patients who have subscribed to our institution can register for remote service online at www.pylimas.lt.

2) After providing remote medical care, the doctor or his team member decides on the convenience of a direct visit to the polyclinic and, if necessary, registers the patient to arrive at the institution.

3) The flows of hospitalized patients are segregated: patients without symptoms of viral infection, who come for long-term follow-up, severe chronic diseases and over 65 years of age. (patients at risk), for prevention programs, vaccines, preventive examinations of children, pregnant women. All patients with symptoms of viral infection should be admitted separately to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Patients at his institution tell him that because of simple questions, he should go directly to the outpatient clinic and wait in a live line. What are the reasons for this situation?

In accordance with the SAM procedure mentioned above, pre-registration is mandatory for each subsequent patient. The patient enters the institution: 1) no more than 10 minutes before. until the designated visiting time; 2) must wear a protective mask, be accompanied by no more than one person (if necessary) 3) upon arrival at the building, body temperature is measured, a questionnaire is completed and hands are disinfected. To guarantee these conditions, sometimes a queue of incoming patients is formed at the door of the institution.

When do you expect to work without problems?

The planned provision of services has been renewed, but is provided in a personal health care institution in accordance with Regulation 2020 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania. June 17 by order no. V-1504 “On the approval of the description of the procedure for the organization of the provision of personal health care services in the event of an emergency at the state level in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania” to guarantee the management of the spread of the COVID-19 disease. Therefore, we ask for patient understanding and cooperation to protect our health and that of others.

The founder is aware of the problem.

Delfi also contacted the founder of the polyclinic, the Vilnius city municipality, regarding these problems.

“The founder is aware of the problem, when due to the blame of the contractors for the reconstruction of the surrounding buildings, the electricity supply was interrupted several times this month, therefore, the information system of the Polyclinic Call Center of the Center was temporarily interrupted The problem is being solved, commented L. E. Viktorija Turauskytė was the head of the department.

– We would like to point out that after the abolition of quarantine, all polyclinics face increasing flows. After a few months of restrictions, the flow of applicants is high, making it harder to call outpatient clinics and take longer to explain to patients about the change in order of doctor visits while the pandemic is still ongoing. The center polyclinic informed the municipality that the outdated information had already been removed from the door of the Lukiškės branch. “

Another problem that has been highlighted on the social network is that parents want to obtain a health certificate for a children’s camp.

“Regarding certificates for the camps, we would like to point out that separate certificates are not issued, because the camps have the same child health certificates (form 027-1 / a) that are issued once a year and parents can print it themselves initiating session through the entrance door of the electronic government from ESPBI Systems ”, commented the representative of the Municipality.

“Parents usually take health certificates before the summer to adjust to the camps, so after one year they are no longer valid, new ones are needed,” said one of the outpatients.

A representative from the municipality told parents that they have problems with the children’s vaccines that the children’s vaccinations are planned, because the family doctor or nurse contacts them.

Comment by Birutė Kavaliauskienė, Advisor to the Department of Personal Health of the SAM Division of Primary Health Care and Nursing:

We are very pleased that the polyclinics have made a responsible commitment to resume their activities quickly and fully. Many people have been eagerly awaiting these changes. However, we must not forget that after quarantine we do not return to the old tracks. On the contrary, medical institutions have to adapt to operate in the so-called new reality. This means that maximum safety must be guaranteed for both ambulatory personnel and patients during the provision of services. Orally, the organization of the work of the polyclinics must comply with the principles of infection control approved by the Order of the Minister of Health no. V-1504.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health has established the principles of reopening outpatient clinics (including flow management), and each specific institution establishes specific measures according to the available resources: how many doctors, in which offices, what interruptions for the disinfection, ventilation, etc. t.

Therefore, the remote way of providing services would continue to have priority in organizing the provision of treatment. This means that the medical institution chooses the method of health care that best suits the interests of the patient.

In reality, the patient will be able to register for the services of the following doctors remotely through the reception without a referral:
• a member of the GP team,
• a member of the team providing primary outpatient mental health care,
• a member of the team providing primary outpatient dental services,
• a specialist doctor who monitors long-term health of patients with chronic diseases.

Direct contact with the patient treatment service is provided when the decision of the specialist who provided the service to the patient remotely or the doctor who provided the remote consultation between physicians makes it impossible to provide the service remotely due to the patient’s health condition or need for more detailed examination. In addition, what is new is that the patient can only register for the contact consultation through an electronic referral or by the referring physician.