This year, nearly 22 thousand first-year students started their first-cycle and integrated studies at Lithuanian higher education institutions. Some of them study outside their hometown, so the practical question of where to get help from a family doctor if needed becomes especially relevant, according to a press release.
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“First-year students who come to another city to study have many new concerns in September, so health issues are often postponed. However, help from a family doctor may be needed unexpectedly – when falling ill, having a fever, wanting to undergo tests, or consult a doctor. Therefore, it is advised not to wait until help is needed – it is worth choosing a healthcare institution and registering there in advance. Young people can also choose a mental health center closer to their new home,” says Diana Prochorova, senior specialist at the VLK Service Compensation Department.
Full-time students of higher education institutions and vocational school students are insured with compulsory health insurance funded by the state. This means that, like other insured persons, they can freely choose a primary healthcare institution – a polyclinic, medical center, or family doctor’s office. The most important thing is that the chosen institution has a contract with the health insurance fund – only then are the services of the family doctor and their team paid from the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund. A list of healthcare providers that have contracts with the health insurance fund can be found on the health insurance fund’s website – it is convenient there to check which institutions are closest to the place of residence or study.
“If you live most of the year in the city of study, it is often more convenient for the family doctor to be there as well. It is a small decision, but it can save both time and worry when help is needed quickly,” emphasizes D. Prochorova.
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You can register with only one primary healthcare institution, so when choosing a new healthcare institution in the city of study, the young person is automatically deregistered from the previous one. Usually, the chosen institution can be changed free of charge every 6 months, but this restriction does not apply to students who have come to study in another city or have finished their studies and returned to their permanent residence.
The registration procedure is simple – the most important thing is to choose the right institution and submit an application.
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