As a patient, you have the right to receive medical treatment corresponding to your state of health. Some diseases require only short-term medical care.
Short-term medical care is the treatment of an injury or illness that is expected to improve in a relatively short period.
example A person having influenza may require short-term medical care.
Often, short-term medical care begins with a visit to a general practitioner (family doctor) to describe the symptoms and to receive a preliminary diagnosis, treatment recommendations and if necessary, referrals to specialist doctors. There are various types of medical treatment and procedures. They may include the use of medicine, a variety of medical devices and procedures (e.g., surgery). You may receive medical care on an outpatient or inpatient basis.
note Only a health care professional may provide health services within the acquired profession or speciality based on which they have been registered in the health administration information system of Estonia.
Short-term care & Human Rights
The right to health includes the right to prevention, treatment and control of diseases. You are entitled to medical attention in case of sickness. These rights are also linked to the right to life, the right to private life and the prohibition of ill-treatment.
About this section
In this section you can learn about types of short-term care, such as health care provided by your general practitioner, as well as inpatient care and outpatient care.
note Short-term care is not the same as acute care.
Read more about State-paid health care services in this Guide.