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Success story of Family Medicine: Estonia

Success story of Family Medicine: Estonia. Margus Lember University of Tartu EURACT Council Member Turku, 05.05.2006. Why changes?. Low efficiency Lack of coordination Low comprehensiveness Questionable continuity Divided responsibility

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Success story of Family Medicine: Estonia

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  1. Success story of Family Medicine: Estonia Margus Lember University of Tartu EURACT Council Member Turku, 05.05.2006

  2. Why changes? • Low efficiency • Lack of coordination • Low comprehensiveness • Questionable continuity • Divided responsibility • Dissatisfaction among population and among providers

  3. Scope of services in 1992Lember M, Kosunen E, Boerma W. Scand J Prim Health Care 1998

  4. Procedures in PHC in 1992

  5. How did DDs perceive themselves as doctors?Virjo I, Mattila K, Lember M, Kermes R, Pikk A, Isokoski M. Att Primaria 1997;19:407-411 • Similarities between the Estonian district doctors and the Finnish general practitioners • Social orientation

  6. Favourable situation in 1990s • primary care doctors- possibility to establish family medicine as a speciality and discipline • specialists- improving quality of primary care (district doctors) would enable them to perform real specialists` work • population- possibility to create an alternative health care to the previous system with its drawbacks • politicians- possibility for a better control of rising health care costs; attracted by the novelty of the idea itself

  7. How to get the first family doctors? • Import? • Change of medical education for young generation. But if the health system is not changed? • Retraining of practicing doctors. • Who should change the system? • Does health care system influence medical education or vice versa?

  8. “Orthodox” approach in family medicine education • GPs can be taught only by GPs in general practice

  9. Specialists approach on teaching of family doctors: • Specialists know best what family doctors must know and do; they have the best knowledge to be transferred to family doctors

  10. International cooperation • WHO course in Tampere, Finland 1989 • New Leuwenhorst Group in Tartu 1990 (M.Kvist, C.E Rudebeck, C.Arnold) • Contacts with SIMG, WONCA • Bilateral cooperation: Estonia-Finland • Ideas, knowledge, inspiration

  11. Chronology of development of Family Medicine in Estonia • end 1980s, beginning 1990s- first ideas spread in Estonia • 1991- postgraduate training of Family Doctors; Society of Family Doctors founded, curriculum change at the University • 1992- change of funding of health care; Department of Family Medicine at the University of Tartu

  12. Ministerial decree from March, 1993 • Family doctor as a speciality • Description of a family doctor

  13. 1995-Estonia /World Bank health project; Estonian Society of Family Doctors full member of WONCA • 1994-96 unsuccessful preparation of Family Doctor`s law

  14. Ministerial decree from April, 1997 • List system • Fixed number of practices • Family Doctor as independent contractor • Combination in payment (basic+capitation+fee-for-service+ bonuses) • Gate-keeping (partial)

  15. Ministerial decree from October, 1997 • Task description of family doctors • Payment scheme for family doctors • New contract since Jan. 1, 1998

  16. 15-year development • Training system according to EU criteria • Sufficient number of trained FD-s • Legal aspects: job description, basic equipment, rooms, organization • Stabile financing

  17. Cumulative number of family doctors

  18. Was personal care by GPs illusion of the health care reform? • all health problems • larger scope of services • patient lists • free choice of a doctor • personal care • gate-keeping function • emergency care • 24 h coverage

  19. Estonian family doctors • 100% FD are independent contractors with sick fund • 56% FD have solopractices, 44% are working in groups • 95% women

  20. GDP per capita (in 2002) 11,018 USD • Health spending per capita 590 USD in 2002 • Health spending 5.3% of GDP

  21. Contract • Acute cases: same day • Non-acute: within 3 working days • Practice open: 8 hr every working day • Doctor`s surgery hours: minimum 20 hr per week (depending on the list size)+ home visits+ other activities

  22. Special features in Estonia • Changes initiated inside the country, the international support came later; • Political dynamics of the reforms was supportive • Close collaboration between the family doctors, University, Ministry of social affairs and Health Insurance Fund

  23. Close cooperation between the leaders of family medicine and leaders of secondary and tertiary care specialities • Enthusiasm of doctors • Timely using the “window for reforms” in society • The leading role of the university • International collaboration.

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