Are winds whistling in the budget of the Gargžda family medical clinic?

The municipal council of Klaipėda district will hold a regular meeting on Thursday, the agenda of which includes 39 questions. One of them is the Gargžda primary health care center in 2022. activity report. It raises a lot of questions for politicians, because the numbers are eye-popping – last year, the clinic suffered as many as 90,000 cases. EUR losses.

Complained about the quality of services
The report reveals that not all patients of the Gargžda Family Medical Clinic were satisfied with the services provided. Last year, the institution received 16 complaints, in 2021 only 3 complaints were received. People mainly complained about the quality of personal health care services – communication with the patient, provision of information, as well as remote consultations of family doctors, one patient complained about registration with dentists. According to the reports received, 5 inspections were carried out in an unscheduled manner – compliance with the requirements of infection control was assessed 2 times, compliance with the requirements of the provision of psychiatrist services 1 time. During the inspections, possible deficiencies in the organization of work and communication with patients were identified, and they were discussed with the employees. Of the total of 16 complaints received, less than half – only 6 – were confirmed.

More elderly patients
A total of 24,889 patients are registered at the Gargžda primary health care center. This clinic is more popular among older residents, 50-65 years old, as the majority of patients in this age group are 5,586. Parents of the youngest, children under 1 year old, apparently prefer to choose other institutions, because last year only 180 babies were registered at the clinic.
The report notes that in 2022 the number of visits to doctors, excluding dentists and psychiatrists, increased. 157,113 residents needed medical services (in 2021 – 150,592 residents), the number of people turning to dentists decreased, especially children. The decrease in the number of patients at dentists is not surprising, because the waiting time for planned assistance is 15 or more calendar days.
The pandemic has greatly affected the mental health of many, and this is reflected in the increased number of visits to psychiatrists. Last year, 1,142 more patients visited psychiatrists at the Gargžda family medical clinic than in 2021.

Gargždiškis are passive in prevention
There are five disease prevention programs in Lithuania, the costs of which are reimbursed by health insurance funds from the Mandatory Health Insurance Fund – cervical cancer prevention program, breast cancer prevention program, prostate (anti-gland) cancer prevention program, colon cancer prevention program, cardiovascular disease prevention program .
At the Gargžda Family Medical Center, 5,592 women were informed about the cervical cancer prevention program, 4,356 were part of the smear collection and assessment service, but only 408 women came for check-ups. 3,746 women entered the breast cancer prevention program according to age, only 725 came to be checked. There are no data on prostate cancer prevention, because the clinic does not count how many men enter this program. 8,213 patients entered the colon preventive program by age, 2,019 residents came to be examined. And 5,538 patients entered the preventive program for cardiovascular diseases, 1,995 patients were examined.

It is more active in other centers
It was noticed that the number of patients in other primary care centers – Paupia and Priekule – is lower, but there are more patients participating in prevention programs. 982 women entered the cervical cancer prevention program at the Paupia Clinic by age, 246 came for check-ups, and 362 out of 1,073 women were examined at the Priekulė Medical Center. 594 women entered the breast cancer prevention program by age at the Paupia Clinic, 125 came for check-ups, at the Priekulė Medical Center from of the 651 women in the program, 225 were examined. 553 men entered the prostate cancer prevention program at the Paupia Medical Center, 146 came for examination, 200 out of 622 men in Priekulė were examined. 1,287 patients entered the colon prevention program at the Paupia Clinic, 358 residents came for examination, and in Priekulė 1,464 were examined by 634 patients. 917 patients of the Paupia Clinic entered the cardiovascular disease prevention program, 563 patients were examined, 634 of the 1,008 people in the program were examined at the Priekulė Medical Center.
Petras Serapinas, chief physician of the Gargždai Primary Health Care Center, told “Bangai” that the numbers of preventive programs are always similar. “As much as we guess, we do research. All patients who come receive an offer to be tested, but we cannot force them to be tested. Many patients also live abroad, there are almost none in Lithuania, they are not even interested in preventive programs”, said P. Serapinas.

Alarm bells are not necessary
At the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of the Klaipėda District Municipal Council held on Thursday, its chairwoman Loreta Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė drew attention to the presented 2022. Gargžda primary health care center report. The politician said that not all lines are filled in the report, so there is a lack of information. “The numbers of prevention programs are really not good compared to other health care facilities in the district. The operation of the clinic is also unprofitable – 90 thousand. Eur. I wonder why?” – asked the chairman of the committee. But no one could answer her, because P. Serapinas did not participate in the meeting. During the meeting of the Economic and Budget Committee, Council member Eglė Jaugelaviće also wanted to ask a couple of questions, but during the meeting it was announced that Mr. Serapinas would answer all the politicians’ questions during the Council meeting.
in 2022 In the report of the Gargžda primary health care center, it is indicated that one of the results to be achieved by the institution is to be unprofitable, but last year’s negative result of 90 thousand is also written next to it. Euro deficit.
The figures for the costs incurred are indeed telling – utility costs have increased by 46 percent compared to 2021, due to the purchase of more services and the increase in the cost of electricity. Last year, more vehicles had to be handled, fuel became more expensive, so costs increased by 31 percent. According to the report, the medical staff of the Gargžda Clinic did not sleep and were upgrading their qualifications, so the costs for upgrading their qualifications increased by 208 percent. Repair and operation costs also increased impressively – 357 percent. Mr. Serapinas told “Bangai” that it is necessary to evaluate the turnover of the medical center over several years, and because of the resulting 90,000. The euro deficit does not need to ring alarm bells. “High electricity prices have certainly contributed to increased costs, and medical workers’ allowances have not been cut during the pandemic. However, I have to reassure you, we have accumulated money for various expenses,” said the chief. doctor.

Augustė JAŠINAUSKIENĖ
Vita VITAITĖ’s photo.