Health
Emergency rooms face rising patient numbers and doctor shortages this summer
During the summer, emergency room visits have increased by 15% while 7,000 doctors are missing, according to unions.
According to unions, emergency room visits during the summer have increased by 15%, further complicating the already critical situation in the sector. Healthcare facilities are facing structural issues exacerbated by staff absences for vacations, with only 30% of the necessary personnel available.
Summer vacations for doctors lead to a significant staff shortage, forcing hospitals to employ locum tenens, retired doctors, and to grant time off to active staff members. This contributes to increased pressure on health facilities already overwhelmed by a heavy workload.
Nurses and doctors are forced to skip their breaks, finding themselves working double shifts to meet the needs of patients. The lack of sufficient hospital beds worsens this crisis, with situations where patients must wait up to 72 hours for admission.
The situation also reflects on the working conditions of nurses, who are facing extended shifts and high workloads without adequate rest, while managing a growing number of patients, making it impossible to meet the demand for care effectively.
Unions continue to raise alarms, emphasizing that the lack of doctors and structural deficiencies pose significant obstacles to providing quality care during the summer months. The situation requires urgent national interventions to improve working conditions and increase staff numbers.