Tartu University Hospital

Irrespective of the state of affairs in the country, the Psychiatry Clinic has provided the most reliable and patient-friendly medical service, organised training for Estonian psychiatrists and conducted internationally acknowledged research work for 130 years.

Today the activities of the Psychiatry Clinic are concentrated in the building at 31 Raja Street, where you can also find the acute, psychiatry and children’s departments.

The psychiatry department also includes the centre of eating disorders and the sleep study clinic.

In their professional activities the staff of the clinic has always proceeded from appreciation of life and health and from the protection of patient’s rights, human dignity and self-determination. The Chancellor of Justice who visited the clinic at the beginning of 2007 acknowledged it for implementing these values in their everyday work. He admitted that the principle of patient-centeredness has set an example for all institutions providing psychiatric assistance.

The scientific and research activities of the clinic are related to diagnosing psychiatric disorders, epidemiology, pathogenesis mechanisms and treatment response studies of patients with agitation, mood and sleep disorders. Genetic research concerning agitation and mood disorders and treatment responses was started in cooperation with the Department of Physiology and Chair of Genetic Technology of Tartu University.

Acievements

• The only Estonian professional centre specialising in eating disorders.
• The most modern environment for hospital treatment in Estonia which provides diagnostics and treatment procedures for children and teenagers with mental disorders.
• Contemporary hospital treatment with professional medical team for patients suffering from deep depression.
• The first clinic for sleep study in Estonia, applying digital polysomnography in diagnosing sleeping disorders.
• Conditions for providing urgent psychiatric help correspond to European practices.
• Launching of the work of psychiatric rehabilitation team.

Plans

• Increase options for out-patient treatment services: apply various methods of psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioural group therapy for insomniac patients.
• Activate counselling groups for patients with metabolic syndrome caused by pharmaceuticals.
• In cooperation with the Nerve Clinic, apply digital psychometric evaluation systems for harmonising the neuropsychological evaluation methods used in evaluating the patient’s condition.