In Russia they want to change the procedure for providing medical care to children

The Russian Ministry of Health has proposed changing the procedure for providing pediatric care to children, RIA Novosti reports.

Medical organizations working with children propose dividing them into three groups. The first will include clinics and outpatient departments of district hospitals that provide primary health care to children.

The second will consist of independent clinics and outpatient departments as part of city clinics, children's hospitals and central district hospitals, performing the functions of inter-district centers.

The third group proposes to include consultative and diagnostic centers for children, which are independent medical organizations, as well as consultative and diagnostic centers and children's clinics (departments) in the structure of republican, regional, regional, district, city hospitals, medical organizations subordinate to federal executive authorities.

Pediatric hospitals will also be divided into three groups, differing in the presence of departments and laboratories, the specifics of medical care and the possibility of conducting consultations using telemedicine technologies.

The document specifies that primary medical care for children should be provided on an outpatient basis, in a day hospital in a polyclinic and in a pediatric day hospital. The document also defines the procedure for medical evacuation of a child to another hospital. Such hospitals must have an anesthesiology and intensive care unit, an x-ray department or x-ray room, and a clinical diagnostic laboratory.

Primary care for children will be provided by local pediatricians and family doctors. Primary medical care includes activities for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment of diseases and conditions, medical rehabilitation, promotion of a healthy lifestyle and sanitary and hygienic education of children.