The national hospital network currently includes 20 hospitals, categorized into regional, general, local and rehabilitation hospitals. According to the development plan for the hospital network set for 2040, specialized medical care will be ensured for all residents of Estonia at two regional hospitals – one in Tartu and the other in Tallinn.

The remaining hospitals will operate with county-level responsibilities, focusing on providing specific services primarily for the residents of their respective counties.

Minister of Health and Labor Riina Sikkut (SDE) told ERR that all county hospitals will remain operational, emergency care will be available and the number of specialist consultations is expected to increase. She added that, in line with the aging population and demographic needs, local access to consultations should be ensured.

In Tartu, the University Hospital will continue as a regional hospital, while in Tallinn, the unified Tallinn Hospital will serve as a general hospital.

"The plan is to merge the existing hospitals in Tallinn, currently comprising three owned by the city and one (PERH – ed.) by the state," Sikkut explained.

The unified hospital would operate as a joint-stock company, with both the state and the city as shareholders, according to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Karl Sander Kase (Isamaa). "The new hospital, which will integrate the existing ones, will take on the functions and expertise currently available in these facilities. No new roles will be added, but none will be reduced either," he explained.

Kase noted, however, that such a merger would still require progress on constructing a new medical campus in Lasnamäe.

"The development plan for the hospital network now includes a provision making the new Tallinn Hospital a priority. Hopefully, by the beginning of the new year, we can reach an agreement where the state provides a financial framework for the new hospital building. This would allow Tallinn to proceed with discussions about the unified hospital," said Kase. "If no agreement is reached on investments, we have agreed to begin consolidating the city-owned hospitals early next year to ensure that integration proceeds regardless."

Sikkut emphasized that the decision to merge Tallinn's hospitals is not directly tied to the construction of the medical campus.

While the state budget strategy through 2028 does not account for funding a new Tallinn hospital, Sikkut acknowledged the need for a modern medical campus:

"The Social Affairs Ministry has long considered building a new hospital, given the current state of facilities, the costs of renovation compared to new construction and the general deterioration of existing buildings. All signs logically point to the need for a new medical campus in Tallinn. However, no funding decisions have been made at this time," Sikkut said.

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