Estonia's Ministry of Social Affairs intends to reduce the country's 13 ambulance crews that include a doctor, a proposal that has split medical opinion and left the effect on jobs unclear, ERR News reported. These crews, alongside mobile intensive care units, are funded at a higher rate by the Health Insurance Fund.
Arvi Vask, head of South Estonia Hospital, told ERR's Aktuaalne kaamera programme that nurse-led crews can do the work equally well and that doctor-led teams waste scarce medical staff. He questioned the reasons given for keeping doctor-led crews in places such as Tartu's Annelinn district and Otepää. According to Vask, the fund pays €15,000 a month more for a doctor-led crew, which he said explained reluctance to give them up, and the money could instead pay for more ambulances.
Source: ERR News