TALLINN, 4 December 206 - During its audit the National Audit Office found that only 19% of those who needed medical rehabilitation received it and only half of them received it at the right time.
As a result of the audit it became evident that the availability of medical rehabilitation is very different in different areas. For example, patients living in large cities received outpatient medical rehabilitation 70% more than those who lived in a local authority where the medical rehabilitation services was not provided. There was no such difference in the availability of the inpatient service.
The National Audit Office also found that, paradoxically, allocation of additional funds would not considerably improve the availability of the service, because the number of medical rehabilitation specialists is problematic, too. The required growth in the number of the specialists by 2015 is achieved only in the case of a very optimistic scenario, which may not be realised.
Timely receipt of medical rehabilitation is very important, because various surveys and the analysis of the National Audit Office indicated that deprivation of medical rehabilitation brings about higher treatment expenses for the patient and the state in the future.
The Minister of Social Affairs agreed with the audit results and also saw problems in the availability of medical rehabilitation, as a result of which the volume of the medical rehabilitation services will be increased. The results of the audit have been discussed in the Social Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu where the Ministry was represented by Peeter Laasik, the Assistant Minister. Today the audit will be discussed by the Riigikogu Select Committee on the Control of the State Budget. The Minister of Social Affairs, Jaak Aab, and the Minister of Finance, Aivar Sõerd, have been invited to attend the discussion.
The total of the medical rehabilitation budget in 2006 is EEK 79 million and annually over 30,000 people are provided with medical rehabilitation service.
Toomas Mattson
Communication Manager of National Audit Office
Telephone: 6400 777
Mob: 51 34900
E-mail: [email protected]
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Posted:
12/4/2006 12:00 AM
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Last Update:
9/17/2015 11:01 PM
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Last Review:
9/17/2015 11:01 PM