One in ten patients gave thanks to doctors after being prompted by medical staff

A study conducted by the Ombudsman's office on unofficial payments and gratitude in Latvian healthcare reveals that one in ten patients who gave money or gifts in addition to official payments did so following a hint, request, or demand from a doctor or other medical worker. In contrast, 85% of citizens who made such gestures acted on their own initiative.

Overall, 40% of survey respondents had given money or gifts to healthcare personnel beyond official payments over the past three years. Among these, 68% cited gratitude as the main reason. 60% of respondents believe that expressing thanks on one's own initiative after treatment is acceptable, while 54% consider it acceptable in particularly significant life situations where health or life is at stake.

Ombudsman Karina Palkova noted that people's desire to express gratitude is understandable, but it is important to distinguish between gratitude and unofficial payments. She emphasized that patients should never feel that better treatment or advantages can be obtained through money or gifts, as this threatens equal treatment and undermines trust in the healthcare system.

The study shows that the practice of unofficial payments remains relevant, and even the 10% of cases where patients acted on medical staff's initiative indicate that some patients still encounter hints, requests, or other encouragements to provide extra compensation. The Ombudsman's office stresses that such practice is unacceptable and that reducing it requires not only control mechanisms and sanctions but also raising public awareness about patient rights and ethical ways to express gratitude.

The study included a representative survey conducted by the research center "Kantar" with 1,000 Latvian residents aged 18 to 75.