Health care resources

A medical practitioner – is a person, who got a medical education and who works in health care.

A medical doctor - is a medical practitioner who has achieved approved medical qualification according to Law “On Regulated Professions and Recognition of Professional Qualifications" and who treats patients based on scientifically approved medical evidence and during the course of treatment a doctor has direct or indirect affect on the patient undergoing treatment. Doctor’s activities include:
    - preventive work, diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation of patients;
    - assessment of functional disorders.

The number of medical doctors excludes:
    - retired or unemployed doctors;
    - doctors who work abroad;
    - doctors who work in other sectors;
    - dentists (stomatologists);
    - oral, facial and maxillofacial surgeons.

Practicing medical doctor – is a medical doctor, who provides services directly to patients. Number of practicing physicians excludes doctors working in administration, research and in other posts that exclude direct contact with the patients.

Dentist - is a medical practitioner who has achieved approved medical qualification according to Law “On Regulated Professions and Recognition of Professional Qualifications”. Dentists apply medical knowledge in the field of dentistry, to carry out prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of alveolar process, mucous membrane of the mouth, jaws and associate tissues, as well as investigate the origin of those diseases and option for that prevention.

An oral, facial and maxillofacial surgeon – is a medical practitioner. The competence of the oral, facial and maxillofacial surgeon is to perform diagnostics and treatment of diseases, injuries, congenital and acquired defects and deformities of the teeth, jaw and oral cavity organs and skull and facial area with conservative and surgical methods.

A resident doctor – is a medical doctor studying in a medical institution that provides an accredited professional medical education program for resident doctors.

A medical doctor in training – is a medical doctor without a certificate, who works under guidance of a certificated medical doctor.

A nurse – is a medical practitioner who has completed an education according to “The law about regulated professions and the attestation of a professional qualification” and obtained the certificate of the first-level higher professional medical education or the certificate of the university-level accredited nurse education program or secondary medical education and who is registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners and Medical Support Staff. A nurse`s responsibilities within the framework of the professional activity:
    - realize a care of the patients;
    - participation in the treatment process;
    - manage a work of the patients’ care;
    - educate patients in the health issues;
    - realize the professional education.

A midwife – is a medical practitioner who has completed an education according to “The law about regulated professions and the attestation of a professional qualification”. A midwife`s responsibilities within the framework of the professional activity:
    - antenatal care of a non-complicated pregnancy, care of a non-complicated delivery and a non-complicated puerperal period as well as care of healthy newborns;
    - referral to the specialist doctor in a case of risk factors or possible complications of pregnancy, labour, puerperum or newborn`s health;
    - participation in the treatment process;
    - providing information and education about family planning, contraception, pregnancy, labour, puerperum, breast-feeding, sexual and reproductive health as well as child care;

Only those midwifes who have the certificate of the secondary education or the certificate of the first-level higher professional medical education or the certificate of the university-level accredited midwife education program and who are registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners and Medical Support Staff are entitled to work as midwifes.

A doctor`s assistant – is a medical practitioner who has acquired a secondary professional education or the first-level higher professional medical education or higher education according to the accredited physician`s assistant education program. A doctor's assistant’s responsibilities within the framework of the professional activity is to diagnose illnesses, carry out medical treatment and provide preventive measures in collaboration with physicians.

A dental nurse – is a medical practitioner who has acquired professional secondary education. The competence of a dental nurse includes:
    - care of patients in cases of oral diseases;
    - provision of the specified diagnostic and treatment procedures under the supervision of a dentist;
    - performing educationally motivating work for groups of patients of different ages in oral cavity prevention;
    - organization of the work of the dental office.

A dental hygienist – is a medical practitioner who has acquired a first level professional higher education. The competence of a dental hygienist is:
    - care of patients in cases of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of oral diseases;
    - performing dental hygiene procedures;
    - educationally motivating oral prevention work for groups of patients of different ages.

A dental assistant – is a medical practitioner who has acquired vocational education in health care. The competence of a dental assistant includes:
    - participation in the oral cavity treatment process – preparation of the necessary medical devices and workplace for the treatment process, psychological preparation of the patient before the start of manipulation, assistance to the dentist during the manipulation in the dental office, arrangement of the workplace after the manipulation;
    - performing radiological diagnostic measures and provision of a set of radiation safety measures in a dental office;
    - patient observation and first aid;
    - provision of infection control measures and maintenance of a safe working environment in the dental office;
    - performing administrative work in the dental office.

A radiologist’s assistant – is a medical practitioner who has acquired a first-level professional higher medical education in radiology or secondary special medical education with postgraduate specialization training in radiology. The competence of a radiologist's assistant is:
    - to perform radiological procedures or diagnostic radiology examinations;
    - to ensure radiation protection and safety, radiation dose optimization, as well as patient care in diagnostic radiology, nuclear diagnostics and radiation therapy;
    - to choose the appropriate exposure regime and parameters for the examination, ensuring the diagnostic radiology process;
    - select and use projections and position the patient;
    - choose the method of image acquisition and / or use medical devices to optimize the acquired image;
    - perform imaging diagnostic procedures;
    - to assess the conformity of the obtained image to the purpose, observing all the provisions related to quality control in radiography;
    - to perform radiation therapy procedures in accordance with the individual radiation therapy plan approved for the patient so that the planned target amount receives the required dose of ionizing radiation, maximally protecting other organs and tissues;
    - to perform a radionuclide diagnostic procedure for the patient.

A functional specialist (physiotherapist, occupational therapist, technical orthopaedist, audiologist, nutritional specialist, art therapist, optometrist – is a medical practitioner who has acquired a professional higher medical education at the second level and acts according to his competence in medical treatment. The competence of a functional specialist is:
    - shall understand the evaluation of human functional limitations and rehabilitation principles;
    - performs medical treatment by using appropriate diagnostics, evaluation and medical technologies, and provides opinions;
    - perform professional education work.

A pharmacist – a health care specialist who organizes and performs pharmaceutical care, plans and monitors the process of preparation of medicines according to individual prescriptions and a written request of medical institutions. Accepts prescriptions and dispenses prescription and over-the-counter medicines, ensures the circulation of medicines and other health care, prevention and health promotion products. Plans, organizes and manages the work of the pharmacy. To work in a pharmacy, the person must be registered in the register maintained by the Latvian Pharmacists' Association.

A pharmacist's assistant – a health care specialist who prepares medicines according to a doctor's prescription and requests from medical institutions. Performs the dispensing of medicines under the supervision of a pharmacist, ensures the dispensing of goods used for health care and body care, informs patients about the use of medicines in accordance with the doctor's instructions. To work in a pharmacy, the person must be registered in the register maintained by the Latvian Pharmacists' Association.

The data of the Register of Medical Practitioners and Medical Support Staff (Health Inspectorate) are used in the preparation of the report. The medical practitioner is listed once according to the main place of work. The data was collected in accordance with the Official Statistics Program.

Data on pharmacists and pharmacists' assistants are received from the Register of Pharmacists and Pharmacists' Assistants of the Latvian Pharmacists' Association. Pharmacists and pharmacists’ assistants working in general and closed type pharmacies and pharmacy branches are included.

Statistical Yearbook of Health Care in Latvia Link

The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia

Janis Misins

Head of the Health Statistics Unit

Phone Number: +371 67501582

Creation date of metadata: 01.07.2020.