From August 1 The Public Health Office of the Alytus District Municipality joined the pilot project in Lithuania and started providing patient transportation services. This is one of the health system reform measures aimed at bringing healthcare services closer to the population.
The service is provided free of charge to residents of the Alytus district, and its recipients can be patients who go to a personal health care facility to receive scheduled, specialized outpatient, hemodialysis, rehabilitation services and/or return from them to their place of residence, and who go to a personal health care facility for organ(s) transplantation, when a potential donor becomes available.
It is envisaged that the shuttle services can be used by those residents who, due to health conditions or social and economic reasons (due to disability, old age or insufficient income), cannot go to or from the treatment facility by their own or public transport: those with mobility, mental, vision problems , languages or others health disorders, experiencing side effects of treatment, etc., including parents who are transporting a child to or from a treatment facility.
This project is still a pilot project. 20 Lithuanian municipalities participate in the project, including the Alytus district. Project partners from various Lithuanian municipalities gathered today in the Alytus district municipality to share their experiences and discuss issues of concern.
Mayor Rasa Vitkauskienė, who welcomed the project coordinator in the municipality of Alytus district, first of all thanked her for her efforts and sincere desire to help the weaker or seriously ill, those who do not have the opportunity to go to the treatment facility by their own or public transport.
The mayor expressed concern that circular municipalities, such as the Alytus district, cannot provide a full-scale shuttle service due to the decisions taken by the project initiators. Due to the restrictions applied to such municipalities, the Alytus District Public Health Office from November 1. to date, only 70 rides have been completed, most of which are for hemodialysis services.
The coordinators of the pilot project, while sharing their experience, expressed hope that the initiator – the Ministry of Health – will take into account important observations regarding the areas of the project that need to be improved, and the provision of services will be more efficient.
Patients can order shuttle services by calling the special call center of the Public Health Office of the Alytus District Municipality at 8 66472789. Patients can also register themselves by calling the “Hotline” at 1808 or on the website www.1808.lt.
Information from the Communication Department of the Alytus District Municipality Administration
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– 2024-03-31 07:27:59
