At a time when young specialists from smaller cities are moving to larger places, Lithuania is also facing a shortage of doctors in rural areas, and therefore municipalities have started a competition, offering tens of thousands of euros to attract new doctors.
Telšiai County in northwestern Lithuania is successfully attracting doctors, despite being quite far from the country’s largest cities. Raimonda Stanevičienė, head of the municipality’s health department, said that there is a competition to attract doctors. For example, Klaipėda University Hospital lured two doctors who were in their final year of residency. After that, the young specialists would have had to work for five years at Telšiai Regional Hospital.
Now, to ensure that talents stay in Telšiai, the municipality has approved several initiatives. Stanevičienė said that the specialist is offered a lump sum payment of 30,000 euros, which does not include a monthly salary. It is also offered to cover up to 500 euros for rent or travel expenses. Funds are also allocated for residency studies, and then the young doctors must work for a certain period of time in Telšiai.
However, the director of the Telšiai Regional Hospital, Jovita Seiliuvienė, pointed out that financial benefits alone are not enough, and the human factor is of great importance: “I’m talking about empathy, good energy among coworkers, the sense of security.” An environment must be created in which the young specialist is happy to go to work. She added that it can be observed that doctors who come with their families and settle in Telšiai stay longer.
Lithuania’s rural regions are becoming emptier as young people go to big cities to study and then work.
Seiļuvienė stressed that the government also plays a big role, including by helping to modernize hospitals.
Some hospitals, however, avoid throwing money at doctors. Former director of Joniškis Hospital Martynas Gedminas said he did not accept this. He pointed out that state hospitals should have a salary cap, and until there is one, there will be a competition between municipalities to see who can offer more and buy out a doctor from another county.
Gedminas also suggested a model that could improve patient care. The state should pay for studies, and a new doctor must work in a certain place for a certain period of time, otherwise he would lose his license. This could avoid a situation where private doctors only consult people with excess funds.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2736459/rural-lithuanian-hospitals-offer-thousands-in-benefits-to-attract-doctors
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