Taking care of our overall health is something we all strive for. Staying active, eating well, and taking your supplements are important and great. But sometimes, your medical status needs to be proven on paper as well. Perhaps, you are getting your driver’s license and are asked for a health certificate. Does that situation sound familiar? In this article, we will go over everything you need to know about health certificates.
What is a health certificate?
A health certificate is an official document that shows that the applicant’s health status meets the health requirements of the intended use(s). It’s written by a doctor and always displays the official results of a physical examination. The document proves the suitability of the health condition to operate in the applied field of activity and thereby creates the prerequisites for ensuring the safety of the permit applicant and other people.
Today the health certificate is usually given out digitally. In order for the document to be legitimate, it must be signed by a health professional. The certificate shows a written record of any medicine that the person is taking on a regular basis; it also brings out the individual’s medical history and things such as drugs or eyeglasses prescription, plus immunization records.
Why do I need a health certificate?
A health certificate is required in different fields for different purposes. The requirements that have to be met depend on the purpose or field of work. A simple example we can point out is getting health benefits from your employer. Sometimes to obtain certain health benefits from work, it’s crucial to own a verified and up-to-date medical certification. It can also be needed for tax purposes, different legal procedures, or for insurance claims.
For example, in Estonia, to get a gun license, a mental health assessment by a psychiatrist, and a medical certification is critical to own. Without them, it’s not possible to even think about getting a gun license. Or something as simple as a new driver’s license also requires an official health certificate.
In order to apply for a health certificate, the patient must first fill out a health declaration electronically in the patient portal www.digilugu.ee to assess their health condition before going to the doctor. After that, there is a visit to the doctor’s office, where as part of the subsequent check of health indicators – arterial blood pressure is measured, visual acuity and field of vision are checked, and the general state of health of the patient is assessed. After the tests and checkups, doctors give out a digital health certificate.
What kind of health certificates are available in Estonia?
A lot of different health certificates exist in Estonia, but the more popular ones are requested for the purpose of a driver’s license. But there are also other ones that are needed for different jobs. Some careers that need a medical certificate are:
- Restaurants
- Nursing
- Healthcare Management
- Pharmacy
It is mandatory to own a health certificate in many workplaces because the employer needs to be aware of a person’s health status and see if they are capable and fit for working in particular positions.
How often is the medical certificate needed?
There is no longer a fixed frequency of how often a new health certificate must be renewed. Now the employer decides the frequency. Getting your medical certificate renewed every now and then is still good practice. Although it isn’t mandatory to get a new health certificate every time someone might look for a new job, it is a needed document, when applying for a job. If your health certificate has not been renewed for a while, it might be a great idea to look into getting it done.
How can I get a health certificate?
Before issuing a health certificate, it is necessary to fill out a health declaration – this can be done either digitally in the national patient portal www.digilugu.ee or, if necessary, also on paper.
When the health declaration is finished, a health care provider, family doctor, or occupational health doctor has to issue the medical certificate.
Through Salu, you can also get a health certificate, but for extra cost (starting from €30), which is significantly cheaper than getting it from other competitors. It is a fast and convenient way to get that process moving as soon as possible. Especially considering that the family doctor’s wait list might take days, if not weeks. Salu won’t keep you waiting!
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