Demand for medical specialist services has grown. Despite every attempt made by the Health Insurance Fund and East Tallinn Central Hospital to cover the cost of better availability of appointments from existing finances, queues for treatment are growing. In order to improve the availability of doctors’ services, we have had to extend the list of services and specialists for which appointments are subject to a fee.

Our hospital charges a fee for services in the following cases :

• if a patient is seeking an appointment with a specialist without a referral letter, but where such a letter is required;
• if a patient is seeking a medical service which is not financed by the Health Insurance Fund;
• if a patient is seeking to undergo a test or procedure (with the exception of X-rays) without a referral letter;
• if a patient is seeking an appointment without having to wait;
• if a patient is not covered by health insurance;
• or if a patient asks for specific conditions during the provision of their service (e.g. a family suite, private room).

 Payment details

• Patients must pay for an appointment with extra charge within 24 hours of making the appointment.
• If a patient has not paid for the service by the scheduled appointment time, the appointment will be automatically cancelled.
• If the appointment is made 24 hours or less before the scheduled appointment time, the patient must pay the fee at the reception desk prior to attending their appointment.

Payment of lab tests, procedures and other services following an appointment with extra charge 

• If a patient has registered to an appointment with extra charge, then all following lab tests, procedures and inpatient treatment will be against charge.
• A patient is usually required to pay for the services appointed within 48 hours from receiving the service (according to the invoice).
• Exceptions: Rehabilitation services, in case of a 10 times package, must be paid as prepayment. A patient is allowed to pay 100% of the cost of the services as prepayment on his own demand.

 Cancelling an appointment with extra charge

• An appointment may be cancelled on reasonable excuse until 12 o`clock noon a day before the scheduled appointment. In this case, the payment done by the patient will be refunded 100%.
• If an appointment has been cancelled by the hospital, the patient will be offered new appointment time or a 100% refund.

Re-scheduling the appointment time

• A patient is allowed to reschedule the appointment time, no matter the reason
• The change must be in effect at least by 12 o´clock noontime a day before scheduled appointment
• If a patient has not changed the appointment in time, the hospital has a right for no refund and to keep the payment as a penal fine.

The prices for appointments with extra charge are stated by the pricelist of East-Tallinn Central hospital or by the Health Insurance Fund.