Hospital services for rural village patients in Kamchatka will undergo restructuring

In a bid to improve healthcare services for residents in remote areas of Kamchatka Krai, the regional government has taken several steps following a recent meeting.

The governor of Kamchatka Krai, in a move to address the unique needs of the population living in remote regions, has emphasised the importance of a system of advance registration in central hospitals tailored to the needs of residents in these areas. This system is aimed at streamlining the process and reducing the logistical difficulties faced by patients from remote settlements.

The Olyutorsky District, one of the northernmost territories of Kamchatka Krai, is a case in point. With a population of 3,500, the district's center, the village of Tilichi, is located 1,200 kilometers away from the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, by air. To address the healthcare needs of its residents, the governor has tasked local administrations with informing them about temporarily affiliating with clinics in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for examinations and referrals to the regional hospital.

The Penzhinsky District, another remote area, faces similar challenges. Its center, the village of Kameneskoye, has a population of around 2,000 people and is located 1,297 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by air. Residents of both the Penzhinsky and Olyutorsky districts have expressed problems in obtaining medical care.

To address these issues, the Ministry of Health and Victoria Sivak, the Deputy Chairman of the regional government, have been tasked with developing a corresponding mechanism for advance registration. Victoria Sivak has also been assigned the responsibility of organising work with patients arriving from remote settlements.

In addition, the governor has emphasised the need to attract additional specialists from other regions to reduce the workload on local doctors, especially during the summer months. Mobile medical teams, consisting of representatives from 18 regional agencies and 11 federal authorities, have been visiting northern districts more frequently. However, their activities need to be strengthened.

To further improve healthcare services, the government of Kamchatka Krai has commissioned a specialized IT company to develop the system for pre-registering patients from remote areas in central hospitals. The Kamchatka Regional Hospital will also commence a separate program to provide medical assistance to residents of remote areas in Kamchatka Krai.

In a bid to ensure the success of these initiatives, mobile medical teams will continue to visit remote districts more frequently, and the advance registration system will be implemented to streamline the process and reduce logistical difficulties for patients from remote villages such as Ayanka or Middle Pakhachi. This comprehensive approach is expected to significantly improve healthcare services for residents in remote areas of Kamchatka Krai.