Latvia

Health systems in transition
Latvia
(b) physician remuneration in primary care based on the capitation model.
These Regulations have been replaced by the “Regulations on Financing and
Organization” (2004, with amendments in 2005).
“Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the Specialty of a Family
Doctor (General Practitioner)” (1999)
These Regulations specify the range of services to be provided by family
doctors.
Regulations of the Ministry of Welfare “Development Strategy of Primary
and Secondary Health Care” (1999)
This document determines the main tasks and responsibilities of GPs and
specialists. It firmly separates GP care from specialist care, and requires that
the gatekeeping role of the GP be strictly enforced.
Order of the Ministry of Welfare on “Procedure of Epidemiological
Surveillance of Infectious Diseases” (2001)
This is a document of technical character specifying epidemiological surveillance
of infectious diseases.
“Law on Purchases for State and Municipality Needs” (2001, with
amendments in 2002)
This Law determines mechanisms for public sector purchases of goods and
services. (It does not apply to the health sector exclusively, but to economic
sectors.)
Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers “Public Health Strategy of Latvia”
(2001)
These Regulations define a public health policy framework indicating targets to
be achieved and determining the mechanisms for their achievement. They are
regarded as a reference document for strategies that are implemented through
specific programmes, such as the National Programmes for HIV/AIDS, TB, and
Mental Health, as well as Action Plans, such as the Food and Nutrition Action
Plan. The strategy is based on WHO “Health 21”, the 21 targets of which have
been accepted as the basis for Latvia’s health strategy. Within this framework
there was a need to prepare a Data Presentation System (DPS). The purpose
of the DPS is to display statistical data in a user-friendly graphical form. It is
a tool that can provide quick and easy access to a large amount of routinely
collected statistical data and help make use of this information. The local DPS
of health statistics is harmonized with WHO Health 21 indicators and Latvian
national health care indicators. The Regulations are still in force.
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