Riga Hospitals Overwhelmed, Lacking Capacity for Emergency and Non-Emergency Patients

Riga is facing a critical shortage of hospital capacity, lacking either a dedicated emergency hospital or a facility for patients who do not require intensive, high-level medical services, according to Dace Žentiņa, a board member at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS).

“

Riga lacks either another emergency medical assistance hospital or a hospital that can provide services to patients for whom these highest-level medical services are not necessary. And we are extremely short of such hospitals or bed capacities. As a result, hospitals become congested.

Žentiņa addressed recent queues at the PSKUS Emergency Medical Center, describing them as an unfortunate confluence of high patient numbers and strained resources. "The staff could no longer cope with their resources and also with the hospital's bed capacity," she explained. However, she stressed that this is not an isolated issue confined to one hospital's emergency department but points to broader systemic problems.

"There are also various systemic issues to be resolved," Žentiņa stated, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the two university hospitals, the Ministry of Health, Riga's municipality, and the National Health Service (NMPD). She highlighted that both university hospitals are "forced to cope" not only with highly specialized services but also with emergency care for the entire Riga and Pieriga regions.

“

The staff could no longer cope with their resources and also with the hospital's bed capacity.

Žentiņa noted that the need for either an additional emergency hospital or a facility for less critical patients has been a long-discussed issue. "We are extremely short of such hospitals or bed capacities. As a result, hospitals become congested," she said. While discussions and solutions are being sought, the exact progress of these talks remains unclear to her.

“

This is not an isolated issue confined to one hospital's emergency department, but points to broader systemic problems.

Reflecting on the hospital's preparedness for large-scale crises, Žentiņa recalled the successful management of patient influx during the COVID-19 pandemic. She clarified, however, that such situations operate under different mechanisms. "If a crisis situation arises, we are ready to clear the hospital in a sufficiently short time to provide assistance to patients who need it more acutely as a result of a crisis or some undesirable event," she said, urging against confusing these scenarios with the current daily pressures.

“

If a crisis situation arises, we are ready to clear the hospital in a sufficiently short time to provide assistance to patients who need it more acutely as a result of a crisis or some undesirable event.