Health care personnel's wages, March 2018
17 OCTOBER 2018
2018 data for gross hourly wages and gross monthly wages of health care personnel were published in the Health Statistics and Health Research Database.
The hourly wages of health care personnel were significantly higher in March 2018 compared to the previous year, average growth was 10-20 percent. The last time such a big growth happened, was five years ago.
Average gross hourly wage of full- and part-time physicians without premiums was 13.66 euros, and it increased by 13.5% compared to 2017. Dentists hourly wage increased by 19.2% to 18.49 euros. The hourly wage (without premiums) of nurses and caring personnel was 6.69 and 3.90 euros respectively, and growth was accordingly by 12.7% and 10.2%.
Average gross hourly wage (with premiums) of physicians working full- and part-time was 15.32 euros and of dentists 19.34 euros, growth compared to 2017 was 14.9% and 18.4% respectively. The hourly wage (with premiums) of nurses was 7.48 euros, and it had increased by 15.5% and caring personnel wage was 4.53 euros, and it had increased by 14.2%.
According to the health care personnel wage agreement the minimum hourly wage of physicians was 10.53 euros in March 2018, for specialist physicians 10.90 euros. The minimum hourly wage for specialist physicians applies to a doctor registered as a specialist physician and who provides specialized medical care, general medical care or an emergency medical care. The minimum hourly wage for a physician applies for a person who is working in the position requiring the qualification of a doctor (assistant physicians, general practitioners, resident physicians). The minimum hourly wage for nurses, midwives and other health care support specialists was 6.03 euros, for ambulance technicians 5,13, for emergency care technicians 5,43 and for caring personnel 3.70 euros.
Although for the majority of health care personnel the hourly wages exceed the value that is set in the wage agreement, and compared to the last year, the number of under wage agreement paid positions have been decreased, there are still workers whose remuneration was lower. There were 12% of specialist physicians, 9% of nurses and 2% of caring personnel who earned lower wage than the agreement sets. Nearly half of specialist physicians, whose earnings was lower than the minimum wage, worked in family doctor offices. It should be taken into account that in private sector there is a possibility to take out dividends and by that way receive additional income.
The increase in the average monthly wage was lower compared to hourly wages growth. This is due to the number of regular working hour in March –there were 184 regular working hours in 2017 and 168 in 2018. Full-time physicians’ average gross monthly wage together with all additional remunerations was 2696 euros, for nurses 1354 and for caring personnel 853 euros, increased within a year by 6.3%, 8.4% and 7.4% respectively.
Even though the wage of Estonian health care personnel increased rapidly within a year, it doesn’t reach the wage of Finnish health care personnel. According to the Statistics Finland, the average monthly gross wage for physicians was 6874 and for nurses 2942 euros.
The Estonian state average monthly wage in the first quarter was 1242 euros, which is 7.7% higher compared to previous year. The average wage of physicians is 2.2 times higher than the state average. The wage of nurses is 9% higher than the state average wage and caring personnel wage formed 69% of the state average.
Injuries, 2017
03 OCTOBER 2018
Statistics about injuries in 2017 is available in the Health Statistics and Health Research database.
Almost 156 400 Estonian residents needed treatment due to injuries in 2017. Among them were 36 100 children aged under 15. The most common cause of injuries was falling (almost 50% of the cases).
In 2017, 849 people died due to injuries: 648 men and 201 women. The main causes of injury deaths were alcohol and drug poisoning, and suicide. These were the cause of injury death for half of the cases.
Health care providers, 2017
27 SEPTEMBER 2018
Data about health care providers by type of owner and legal form, and also dental care providers and treatment possibilities by county in 2017 were published in the Health Statistics and Health Research Database. Data is available in database tables TTO10, TTO11, TTO40 and TTO60.
There were 1440 independent health care providers at the end of 2017 in Estonia, including 53 hospitals, 452 family doctor's offices, 488 dental care providers, 305 specialist health care providers and 142 other health care providers. In 2017, 74 independent health care providers started and 41 completed their activities. Compared to previous year (2016) 16 specialist care, 9 dental care and 8 nursing care providers has added, but the number of family doctor’s offices has decreased by 7.
Table TTO40 shows data about dental care providers. There were 542 dental care providers at the end of 2017, of which 488 were independent dental care providers. Compared to 2016, the number of dental care providers increased by 9. One tenth of the dental care providers offer also other health care services beside dental care and that number has been on the same level over the past years. About 40% of all dental care providers are located in Tallinn and about one tenth in Tartu.
96% of clinics offer only dental care, it means that 4% of dental care clinics are specialized solely in prosthetic treatment, orthodontic treatment or x-ray examinations. Prosthetic services offered 68%, orthodontic 10%, endodontic 92%, parodontic 69%, dental surgery procedures 42% and x-ray examinations 78% of the dental care providers in 2017.
Database table TTO60 shows data about health care providers in e-health system. By 2017, 1416 health care providers have joined with the e-health system which makes up 98% of all health care providers in Estonia. Compared to the previous year the number of health care providers that has sent data to e-health increased by 72 and the total number is 1091 providers.
Release Calendar 2019
01 OCTOBER 2018
The health statistics release calendar 2019 is now available. Here you can find the dates, when health data and analyzes will be published.
Infant breastfeeding, 2017
26 SEPTEMBER 2018
In Estonia, 64% of three months and 23% of six months old infants were exclusively breastfed* in 2017. Both indicators have decreased year-by-year. Compared to 2016, the indicator of three months old infants who were exclusively breastfed decreased by 1.4% and for the indicator of six months old infants decreased by 3.5% and it is almost one fifth lower than five years ago.
Over the last five years, the percentage of infants who were exclusively or partially breastfed increased in Lääne, Võru, Põlva and Valga county, and decreasing in Jõgeva and Lääne-Viru counties.
Globally, rates of infants less than six months of age who were exclusively breastfed are 41%. The rates of breastfeeding are far lower than is needed to optimally protect the health of women and their children and the global target rate is 70% by the year of 2030. World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that exclusive breastfeeding be initiated within one hour of birth up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
Data about exclusive and partial breastfeeding in Estonia is published at Health Statistics and Health Research Database, tables SR90 and SR91.
* Fully breastfed infants – infants who are fed exclusively with breast milk (incl pumped breast milk). Additionally, they may get vitamins and medicaments, but not tea, water, juice, infant formulas or anything else what would replace meal.