Perearstide

Perearstide refers to the group of family doctors in Estonia, the general practitioners who form the core of primary health care. The term is used in Estonian to denote the collective of these physicians (singular perearst, plural perearstid; genitive plural perearstide). They serve as the first point of contact for patients, provide ongoing personal care, and coordinate access to secondary and tertiary services as needed. Their responsibilities include routine and preventive care, treatment of common illnesses, management of chronic conditions, and overseeing child health surveillance and immunization programs. They may also perform home visits and provide care in office settings.

Training and organization: Becoming a perearst requires a medical degree followed by specialization in family medicine (perearstlik). Many perearst operate in state-supported regional family medicine centers or in private practices contracted with the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. The system emphasizes continuity of care, with patient records and communications shared across providers within a secure framework.

Digital health: Estonia’s e-health infrastructure supports perearstide work through electronic health records, e-prescriptions, and interoperable data exchange via the X-Road. This digitalization enables secure access to patient histories and streamlined referrals, contributing to efficiency and safety in primary care.

Challenges and trends: The supply of perearstide varies by region, with shortages in rural areas and increasing demand from an aging population and higher chronic disease burden. Policy efforts address workforce development, training, incentives to attract rural practitioners, and expanding preventive and digital services to strengthen primary care and reduce unnecessary specialist referrals.