Home visit

If you cannot come to a medical treatment facility because of your health condition, the family doctor will evaluate the possibility of going home. Home visit to be lodged before 15:00. A number of population groups are provided with home visits of a state-paid family doctor. You can view a list with these population groups NHS's website. For other patients, the home visit of a family doctor shall be a fee service in accordance with the price schedule for payment services approved by the medical treatment institution.

Call the doctor's doctor's office or the medical treatment institution where your family doctor is practising to sign up for a home visit and agree on its time (as well as the cost of the visit).

Advisory phone

Residents have a chance to get medical advice outside the working time of family doctors in case of a simple illness by calling the National Organised Family Doctors Advisory Phone 66016001.

They are provided by experienced medics on working days from 17.00 until 8.00 a.m., while on holiday and holiday days - the whole day.

If, according to the caller, the operator has doubts about the health of the person, the call will be forwarded to the Emergency Medical Service.

For more information about how your phone works, read Emergency medical services on the website.

Family doctors' advisory phone isn't an elevated charge.

Before travelling, it is certainly worth weighing all the health risks and ensuring that problems could arise in the event of a sudden illness, injury, etc. In such situations, the National Health Service (NSAs) European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC, is very useful, which confirms your right to receive the necessary or emergency healthcare to the same extent as it is provided to the national population. The card can be logged in:

1. electronically, on the E-Health portal My EHIC;
2. using an e-service To apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC);

1. when sent securely   electronic signature sign the application form to NHS's  e-address or nvd@vmnvd.gov.lv;
2. on-site at the NHS;
3. by post (by sending an application form) to the NHS.

For video learning how to apply for an e-service, see the video below:

When you log on to the card, you will receive it immediately, but if you used the e-service or sent the form, the card will be sent to you by mail.

Available on the website of the State Agency of Medicines register of medicinal products.

1. In the search at the Register of Medicines the name of the medicinal product (e.g. paracetamol) or the name of the active substance (e.g. paracetamolum) should be entered.

2. All medicinal products registered in Latvia containing the relevant active substance will appear in the search results.

3. Clicking the name of the selected medicine will display information about:

• availability of medicinal products;
• the maximum permissible pharmacy price (in EUR) with the procedures for issuing VAT (without a prescription/prescription);
• Strength/concentration;
• pharmaceutical form (e.g. tablets);
• The international name;
• The registration certificate holder, the country;
• instructions for use;
• the description of medicinal products;
• the number of packages of medicinal products available in wholesalers;
• wholesalers where medicinal products are available.

In Latvia, all the names of active substances of medicinal products are in Latin and search is also under such names. If you do not know the exact name of the medicinal product or active substance, it is sufficient to type the correct starting phrase and the applicant will offer several options from the Latvian Register of Medicinal Products.

If you find that the price of the medicine is higher than that indicated on the website of the State Agency of Medicines, you have the possibility to report it to State Agency of Medicines or Health Inspectorate.

Information on possible side effects of the medicinal product can be found at:

• the package leaflet described in the section “Possible side effects”;
• by electronic means in the section of the website www.zva.gov.lv register by typing the names of the medicinal product in the search window and then selecting the medicinal product concerned;
• when you ask your doctor.

If you notice changes in your body or how you feel, talk to your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

It is most convenient to inform about adverse reactions to medicinal products on the website of the State Agency of Medicines in the section Report on adverse reactions to medicinal products, accidents with devices, biovigilanci.

To note!

• Not always suspected of an adverse reaction means that it is a consequence of exposure to medicines.
• If you are concerned about the possible side effects, you should contact your treating doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
• Patients should always follow the advice of their doctor or pharmacist, the conditions of use, including dose and dosing intervals, in order to reduce the risk of adverse reactions.
• It is important to inform both your doctor and pharmacist about other medicines that will be taken at the same time to avoid unwanted interactions.

! If a patient has possible side effects, it is not recommended to stop taking the medicine at his or her head, as discontinuation may lead to greater health risks than possible side effects.

In some cases, the patient may be treated as an adverse reaction, but another disease may be associated with it. Your doctor or pharmacist should therefore be consulted for further use.

The observed adverse drug reactions should be reported as health may be affected by the use of the medicinal product, and reports of adverse reactions help to understand more the effects of the medicinal product, and possibly new warnings may be added to the medicinal product in the future:

• it is important to report side effects that may have caused life-threatening events that require hospitalisation of a patient who may have caused disability, incapacity or manifested itself as a congenital defect. Such cases have been reported very rarely: 1 in 100 000 or several hundred thousand;
• The State Agency for Medicinal Products calls for the reporting of health problems resulting from the use of the medicinal product in an inappropriate manner (overdose, misuse, abuse) as well as a lack of efficacy of the medicinal product;
• patients, doctors and pharmacists have the right to report any side effects observed.

The reports received by the State Agency of Medicines are analysed by assessing the relationship between the medicinal product and the adverse reaction. If necessary, experts from the State Agency of Medicines may contact the rapporteur or the doctor for additional information.

An assessment of all the information obtained will lead to a decision whether the risk is justified and whether it is necessary to take any action to prevent any potential damage to public health.

As a result of reports, the Summary of Product Characteristics and Package Leaflet may be modified, including warnings to help avoid risks for other patients.

! When we report side effects, we make medicines safer.

The risk of adverse drug reactions may be significantly reduced

• taking into account the advice of a doctor or pharmacist, the conditions of use and the dose and interval of the medicinal product,
• when asking all information about prescription medicines for the doctor who prescribed them and for the over-the-counter medicines for the pharmacist at the pharmacy.

! Always contact your doctor if you have any doubts about whether the medicine is appropriate for you.
Usually, most side effects are mild and go over a few days with the body getting used to medicines.