Latvian doctors earn international recognition

Colleagues from different European countries come to learn from the vein surgery specialists of the Health Centre 4 Baltic Vein Clinic. Long-lasting experience, various technologies, high level of the patient care service of the Health Centre 4 serves as an excellent example to foreign colleagues, in order they could further use the acquired knowledge in their country.  Head of the Health Centre 4 Baltic Vein Clinic and Dermatology and Surgery Clinic Zane Rēvalde tells about the Baltic Vein Clinic of the Health Centre 4 as a study base:

   „Comparatively recently we officially established Eastern European training centre led by the vascular surgeon, phlebologist, leading specialist of the Baltic Vein Clinic Ints Ūdris. Creation of the centre was connected with the training of the foreign colleagues in the application of the biological adhesive method. By allowing us to establish the Eastern European training centre, manufacturers of the biological adhesive has given credence to the Baltic Vein Clinic and its specialists due to the high level of professionalism of the specialists and high standards of the clinic. So European doctor’s do not need to go to USA – homeland of the biological adhesive method, instead these doctors are choosing Latvia. Already for a lasting period of time we provide trainings for the application of various surgical vein treatment methods.”

As Baltic Vein Clinic is one of the rare clinics providing possibility to use all vein surgery methods available in the world, surgeons of the Baltic Vein Clinic are experts in practical application of those methods. Baltic Vein Clinic provides ability to find the most suitable method for each patient and methods can be combined during the surgery to attain the best possible therapeutic result.  Foreign colleagues appreciate broad experience of the Latvian doctors, as well as state-of-the-art technical equipment.

„Specialists from other countries get the ability to be present in all stages of examination and treatment of the patient with vein disease  – consultations, duplex scanning, surgeries, close look into the life of the clinic”, Zane Rēvalde continues. As foreign colleagues admit, things they have seen in the Baltic Vein Clinic serve as an excellent example how versatile and effective treatment of vein diseases can be. 

Vein surgeries – popular medical tourism service

Many foreign citizens use the possibility offered by the Health Centre 4 Baltic Vein Clinic to operate veins with the most suitable treatment method for each patient. Director of the Medical Tourism of Health Centre 4 Anda Aleksandrova shares her experience.

• How many foreign citizens use the possibilities offered by the Health Centre 4 to treat various illnesses?

   Around 300 foreign patients per month use these possibilities. 15% of those people come to us to cure veins. Most frequently those are people from Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, England, USA, Ireland, Germany and Norway.

• Why those people do not use medical facilities in their own country but come to Latvia?

    Most frequently people name the following reasons: professionalism of the specialists of the Health Centre 4 Baltic Vein Clinic, wide treatment options and prices.  Costs of the vein surgeries and other surgical manipulations in the Baltic Vein Clinic of the Health Centre 4 are 2 to 5 times lower than in the countries those people are coming from. If the patient has undergone surgery in his/her own country more than 10 years ago and already outdated methods were used, and then quite often veins need additional surgery. Sometimes treatment of the patients in their own country are funded by the government but the offered range of vein surgery method is limited, therefore patients are not able to get the most suitable vein treatment method. As Baltic Vein Clinic of the Health Centre 4 offers wide range of vein surgery methods (laser surgeries, radio frequencies, and steam micro impulse and biological adhesive) methods and they are individually tailored to each patient, then people from abroad provide very positive reviews after the surgeries. For example, two patients from Norway have undergone surgery in Norway several years ago. Then they found out that repeated surgeries are required and they chose Baltic Vein Clinic vein surgeries with the usage of biological adhesive. Both Norwegians returned to their home country healthy and happy.

• Operating veins in Latvia – qualitatively, safely, conveniently

„Possibility to operate veins in Latvia is very popular amongst foreign citizens as time-consuming preparation and recovery period is not required. In the era of contemporary technologies a person can have examinations in his/her home country and then send those examinations to the specialists in Latvia. When the vein surgeon evaluates examinations he already sees if the surgery is necessary and which vein surgery method could be most appropriate for the patient. Still when patient arrives in Latvia, doctors perform examinations so they could precisely know what to do next. Already an hour after the surgery person can go to the hotel, but he/she can also choose to stay in the day care facility of the Baltic Vein Clinic – then the attending physician can once again make sure everything is fine. On the next day patient has to attend doctor for a repeated check-up.

When patient goes home, doctor prescribes medications that are necessary in the post-operative period due to the flight. In order person from the foreign country who visits us to have a vein surgery could feel comfortable and safe, he/she is accompanied by the person who helps in all situations related to the pre- and post-operative period, going through formalities etc.,” explains Anda Aleksandrova.