Rural Latvia struggles to replace ageing family doctors

Latvia is struggling to attract successors for family doctors outside Riga, with one practice in Aizkraukle finding a replacement only after three years, LSM reported, citing Zemgale Regional Television.

The average age of family doctors in Latvia is 55, while many doctors in the regions are already of retirement or pre-retirement age. Municipal scholarships, practice locations and other forms of support do not always help attract doctors willing to take over existing practices.

The Latvian Association of Rural Family Doctors has warned that in some municipalities more than half of family doctors have reached retirement age.

Olga Tomaševska has worked as a doctor in Aizkraukle for more than 40 years. She began her career as a paediatrician in 1983 and established her own family doctor practice more than 20 years ago. The practice currently has about 2,500 patients.

In recent years, Tomaševska has wanted to reduce her workload. “I really want to be able to rest properly. But it took me about three years. I was looking for an assistant who could come and work. Now, during those three years, I have found a real person who will start working on October 1,” she said.

Data from Latvia’s Register of Medical Practitioners show that 470 of the country’s 1,455 family doctors are older than 65. That is more than 30 percent. The average age rises as the distance from Riga increases.

Ainis Dzalbs, chairman of the board of the Latvian Association of Rural Family Doctors, said that about 40 to 45 percent of family doctors in Zemgale had reached retirement age. The proportion of senior family doctors in Vidzeme also exceeds 40 percent, he said.

“There are certainly municipalities in our country where there are considerably more colleagues of retirement age. In Aizkraukle Municipality, it is around 60 to 70 percent, and the same is true in Saldus Municipality,” Dzalbs said.

From October 1, Kristīne Piekuse will begin working part time at Tomaševska’s practice. Piekuse obtained her family doctor qualification this year. She comes from Jēkabpils Municipality and received a municipal scholarship during her studies.

To enable her to start working in Aizkraukle, Aizkraukle Municipality reimbursed Jēkabpils Municipality for the money paid through the scholarship.

Piekuse said many of her fellow young doctors were also struggling to find places to work. “I have a colleague who is also looking for a place at the moment. Starting from scratch is almost impossible if you do not have something substantial somewhere from which to obtain the money. But taking over a practice is also difficult: you have to find a doctor you would want to work with and who would accept you,” she said.