Information for Patients – Where to Seek Medical Care Outside Working Hours

Residents of Panevėžys may seek medical assistance outside regular working hours at the Republican Panevėžys Hospital, located at:

25 Smėlynės St., Panevėžys, Lithuania

For urgent medical assistance, please call:

(+370 45) 507184
(+370 45) 507186

Please note that as of 1 January 2025, amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania of 5 December 2005 on the Organization of Primary Outpatient Personal Healthcare Services and the Procedure for Reimbursement of These Services have come into force. According to these amendments, family medicine clinics must ensure that patients registered with them have access to family physician team services for at least 12 hours per day, 5 working days per week.

Prior to this amendment, family medicine clinics were required to ensure the availability of family physician services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Therefore, all family healthcare institutions had agreements with other healthcare institutions operating around the clock.

In accordance with the amendments effective from 1 January 2025, urgent outpatient services for patients registered with primary healthcare institutions (PHCIs) on weekends and public holidays are provided at Emergency Medical Care Clinics or Emergency Departments. The provision of these services is coordinated by municipal healthcare centres.

According to the clarification issued by the Ministry of Health, Emergency Departments may provide care for acute conditions that fall within the competence of a family physician.

Adults

Urgent outpatient care may be provided for:

Pain rated at 4–6 points or higher that is not relieved by maximum recommended medication doses;
Fever above 38°C lasting more than 72 hours;
Trauma occurring more than 48 hours ago with increasing pain and swelling, or minor contusions not requiring imaging studies;
Progressive acute allergic reactions presenting with rash and itching, without signs of anaphylaxis;
Acute nausea, recurrent vomiting, or recurrent diarrhea without signs of systemic intoxication;
Animal bites and scratches that do not require surgical wound management;
Dressing changes after surgical procedures when no further surgical wound treatment is required;
Cardiac arrhythmia lasting more than 48 hours in patients not taking anticoagulants and for whom rhythm restoration cannot be performed;
Initial issuance of a certificate of temporary incapacity for work due to an acute illness or for the care of a sick child;
Superficial infectious eye diseases that began more than 48 hours ago;
Superficial foreign bodies;
Minor burns without any of the following features:
- Circumferential burns;
- Airway burns;
- Burns involving the face or neck;
- Burns involving the perineal area;
- Burns involving joints;
- Burns caused by high kinetic energy.

Children

(excluding infants)

Urgent outpatient care may be provided for:

Fever above 37.8°C lasting more than 24 hours and not responding to antipyretic medication;
A newly developed and spreading rash appearing within the previous 24 hours;
Acute pain not relieved by analgesics;
Acute or recurrent vomiting and/or diarrhea without signs of dehydration;
Acute pain and discomfort during urination (dysuria);
Acute allergic reactions with rash or swelling but without signs of anaphylaxis;
Superficial wounds not requiring surgical intervention;
Tick bites occurring within the previous 24 hours, without signs of early infection;
Minor animal bites that do not require surgical treatment or rabies prophylaxis;
Superficial infectious eye diseases that began more than 48 hours ago;
Initial issuance of a certificate of temporary incapacity for work due to an acute illness or for the care of a sick child;
Minor burns without any of the following features:
- Circumferential burns;
- Airway burns;
- Burns involving the face or neck;
- Burns involving the perineal area;
- Burns involving joints;
- Burns caused by high kinetic energy.