One recent incident revealed critical gaps when ambulances were backed up outside the North Estonia Medical Center (PERH) in Mustamäe for several hours, while other hospitals refused to accept the patients.

The hospitals themselves cite space and staffing shortages as the main obstacles to quick solutions.

Ragnar Vaiknemets, the board's deputy director general, told "Aktuaalne kaamera": "If there are concurrently a greater number of trauma patients or critically ill patients requiring additional resources, then other non-emergency patients are left waiting."

This creates a cascade effect, starting with one hospital and immediately impacting another," Vaiknemets continued.

Efforts to reroute patients to other hospitals were blocked by an informal agreement whereby hospitals serve only patients from their designated regions.

However, Vaiknemets dismissed this justification, saying: "[Ambulance services], when bringing a patient, must be accepted by the hospital."

"The hospital cannot refuse based on the region or for any other reason," he went on.

He added, "Even if a hospital's ER is 100 percent occupied, they are required to reorganize and find alternative solutions."

Hospitals argue these demands are hard to meet in practice.

Marit Märk, head of ER at PERH, highlighted obstacles in internal patient flow, saying: "Ideally, by morning, the ER would have an empty reception area, yet we are starting the day with 10+ patients."

Many of these are not real emergencies, he added.

Meanwhile, across town at the West Tallinn Central Hospital (LTKH), criticism centered on their refusal to admit trauma patients.

Its director, Arkadi Popov, who came to prominence during the pandemic and went on to run for the Center Party, said: "We have never had a so-called classical trauma center in our hospital, and this is well known to the Health Board."

Popov called quick fixes unrealistic, saying: "Departments built in the early 2000s are small and are no longer meeting the needs of the present-day needs."

"The number of emergency patients is continuing to grow," he added.

By the rule book, critical patients must be admitted immediately, while others can face waits up to 30 minutes.

Non-compliance could in theory lead to fines of up to €640.

While the Health Board demands action, hospitals warn that the systemic issues—outdated facilities and staff shortages—cannot be resolved overnight.

"We must understand that solving the problem quickly is sometimes impossible," Popov added.

The Health Board has said it will continue monitoring compliance, leaving hospitals under pressure to improve patient care and reduce ambulance wait times.

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