The new Vaivars outpatient rehabilitation Centre has been opened in Jurmala. It combines an outpatient rehabilitation clinic and an orthotic and prosthetic center under one roof. Concluding work in previous, inappropriate premises, the Vaivars orthotic and prosthetic centre commences work in close proximity to the clinic, thus ensuring closer multidisciplinary co-operation and integrated rehabilitation services, thus strengthening the role of THE NRC “Vaivari” methodical and clinical leader in Latvia.
Until now, both in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation was provided in one building, creating high room occupancy and limiting the development of rehabilitation services. In future, outpatient patients will receive services in a specialised, state-of-the-art environment, while inpatient infrastructure will be more fully tailored to patients with more severe operating restrictions.
“The importance of rehabilitation in healthcare is growing. It is one of the most important stages of treatment, the quality of which largely determines whether a person will be able to return to full life after an illness or injury. The national rehabilitation Centre “Vaivars” is a stark example of how high rehabilitation in Latvia is already ensured – new approaches are developed here, powerful multidisciplinary teams work and both Latvian patients and soldiers injured in the Ukrainian war receive help. The new outpatient rehabilitation centre has been developed through a combination of contributions from the state, European funds and the centre itself, and will enable patients to have a modern, integrated rehabilitation process, combining treatment, functional renewal and custom-made technical aids in one place. Such investments make it possible to expand access to rehabilitation services and provide patients with a faster and better quality recovery pathway,” says Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri.
The new building and NRC's “Vaivars” main building are connected to a transition that allows easy movement of patients and staff between the two buildings. Physiotherapy rooms for individual and group classes, doctors' and functional specialists' offices, as well as day inpatient for adults and children have been established in an outpatient rehabilitation centre on two floors. Close cooperation between medical rehabilitation and the manufacture of technical aids is ensured in one place. This means that after adjusting the orthosis or prosthetic, patients can immediately start functional training under the guidance of rehabilitation professionals. This approach makes it possible to significantly shorten the rehabilitation pathway and to ensure faster and better functioning.
“In Latvia, the rehabilitation sector faces several challenges: increasing numbers of patients after stroke and trauma, functional disorders caused by chronic diseases, as well as the need to shorten waiting times and ensure timely access to services in regions. The new outpatient clinic allows more flexibility to organize work and increase the volume of outpatient services, “says Ilze Vinkele, chairwoman of THE BOARD of NRC “Vaivars.”
Guliver & vault-AE is the main contractor. Author's supervision is performed by SIA “VV Project”, while construction supervision is ensured by SIA “Prokrial”. The total cost of the Vaivars outpatient rehabilitation centre is EUR 5.29 million. The project has been implemented through a combination of several funding sources: EUR 1.99 million came from high-readiness project funding, EUR 1.89 million from the Recovery and resilience Facility investment programme to strengthen the infrastructure of NRC “Vaivars”, while EUR 1.40 million came from NRC “Vaivars” own funds.
NRC “Vaivars” is the leading medical treatment institution in Latvia in the field of rehabilitation, which provides hospital and outpatient services to patients, and helps people with functional disorders regain independence and live a dignified life by providing complex multidisciplinary rehabilitation after diseases and injuries.
