Estonia

If you need a doctor, you should contact a general practitioner (perearst) who has an agreement with the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. Visiting a general practitioner is free of charge if the doctor considers the care medically necessary and you have a valid European Health Insurance Card. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, which forms the basis for the assessment.

Seeing a specialist requires a referral from a general practitioner. However, you can see gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, venereologists, psychiatrists, and trauma surgeons without a referral. When you show your valid European Health Insurance Card and identity card, you will only need to pay a patient fee if the doctor considers the care medically necessary. Pregnant women and children under the age of 2 are exempt from patient fees for specialist care. There is also no charge for specialist care if you are referred to another specialist. The patient fee is not charged for urgent medical treatment followed by hospitalisation.

If you do not have your European Health Insurance Card with you, ask your doctor to provide a receipt as well as a detailed breakdown of the treatment (in Estonia, treatment procedures are often itemised on the invoice). You can use these documents to apply for reimbursement after returning to Finland.

The Health Insurance Fund reimburses costs for dental care and dentures. The dentist must have a contract with the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. Free dental care is available for children and young people under the age of 19, as well as for patients requiring emergency care when delaying or withholding treatment could result in death or permanent injury.

The Tervisekassa website provides further information on dental care benefits and services.

Show your European Health Insurance Card and identity card when collecting your medicines prescribed by a contracted doctor. You can receive reimbursement for certain medicines approved by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF). The level of reimbursement mainly depends on the severity of the illness.

You can also buy medicines in Estonia with an electronic prescription issued by your doctor in Finland. You can purchase the medication by presenting your passport or official identity card at the pharmacy. Note, however, that not all medicines can be purchased abroad using an electronic prescription. Check the restrictions on the Kanta.fi website. You can claim reimbursement from Kela afterwards.

In Estonia, the validity of a medical prescription depends on the number of times it can be used. A single-use prescription is valid for two months, a three-use prescription for six months, and a six-use presctiption for one year. For multi-use prescriptions, medications can be purchased either in parts or all at once. The medication may be collected on the day the prescription is issued, gradually over time, or in full on the last valid day of the prescription. There is no requirement to purchase the medication at fixed intervals.

A doctor’s referral is usually required for hospital treatment. In urgent cases, you can go directly to the Emergency Medical Center. Show your valid European Health Insurance Card and identity card at the hospital. Ambulance transport is free of charge. However, only domestic emergency air ambulance transport is free of charge.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

An electronic Patient Summary is in use between Estonia and Finland, which means that doctors can, to a limited extent, view the health information that has been previously recorded about you in Finland. The Patient Summary contains information such as diagnoses, prescriptions and allergies. Check with your place of treatment whether they use the Patient Summary. You must also give your consent in MyKanta for the use of the Patient Summary.

Read more about the Patient Summary on the MyKanta website.

The Government of Estonia has set quality requirements for healthcare services and established a supervision system to inspect the operations of healthcare service providers. The most important rules related to patient safety are based on the Health Services Organisation Act and the Law of Obligations Act. Malpractices are not systematically registered in Estonia, but the country’s health insurance institute regularly conducts clinical audits of healthcare service providers.

In case of malpractice, the party providing the treatment is liable to compensate the patient for mental and physical harm caused by the service. Patient injuries suffered in Estonia are covered by the service provider’s insurance in accordance with the compulsory liability insurance for healthcare providers.

The treatment provided in Estonia is supervised by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) and and the Estonian Health Board. More information about the quality and supervision of treatment provided in Estonia is available on the website of Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia (in Estonian).

If you are not satisfied with the quality of treatment, Estonia has a Patient Insurance system in place. Patient insurance gives you the right to claim compensation for damages caused as a result of medical treatment. To file a complaint, please contact the healthcare provider’s insurer. Detailed information about patient insurance is available on the Health Board’s website (in Estonian).

In the event of a treatment injury, the legislation and patient insurance of the country providing the treatment always apply. If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received, any concerns about the care or related invoices should primarily be addressed with the healthcare provider. If you wish to make a complaint, the Estonian National Contact Point can assist you in finding the appropriate authoiry.

Estonia’s healthcare system is based on the principle of compulsory, solidarity-based insurance and the general availability of services provided by private providers. Solidarity-based insurance means that all insured individuals in Estonia are entitled to the same quality healthcare, regardless of whether they pay the health insurance tax or not. The management and supervision of healthcare system, as well as the development of health policy, fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and its agencies.

Medical care is divided into three levels: primary or family medical care, specialised medical care, and nursing care. Emergency care is provided on an outpatient basis (by the emergency medical care service) and in specialised care by departments of emergency medicine.

All healthcare providers are independent entities operating under private law. Estonian Health Insurance Fund, EHIF (Tervisekassa), acts as a single purchaser, compensating all contracted providers for agreed medical services. Family physicians operate either as private entrepreneurs or as salaried employees of private companies owned by family doctors or local municipalities. Most hospitals are either limited liability companies owned by local governments or foundations established by the state, municipalities, or other public agencies. The remaining few hospitals are privately owned.