"I believe every parent knows the anxiety of a health concern that seems urgent and requires immediate attention. Unfortunately, it's not always possible to get a timely appointment with a family doctor, and the emergency department may not be the appropriate place to turn," said Tallinn Deputy Mayor Karl Sander Kase. "That's why we're testing the on-call doctor service next year to make primary healthcare more accessible for children. If the project is successful, we will consider expanding it to other age groups."

According to a City of Tallinn press release, in addition to the existing emergency department staff, starting January, a dedicated doctor will work exclusively with the lowest triage category patients. These are cases that typically require a family doctor's attention but cannot be addressed due to the time of day or week.

The additional on-call doctor will be available outside regular family doctor hours – from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and during daytime hours on weekends and public holidays. Access to the doctor will follow the standard triage process, where an emergency department nurse evaluates how urgently care is needed and directs patients to the appropriate doctor.

Previously, primary healthcare for children outside regular hours was provided through the home doctor service. However, this approach saw low visitation numbers, high costs per visit, and minimal impact on reducing the emergency department's workload. As a result, the home doctor service will be discontinued at the end of 2024, and the new on-call doctor service will operate exclusively from Tallinn Children's Hospital.

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