The Regional Secretary for Health reiterated in Horta on Wednesday the Regional Government’s intention to “bring financial health” to Azorean hospitals by reducing their expenditure, “which is excessive.”
The information was provided by Miguel Correia at the Legislative Assembly, following a political statement made by CDS/PP on the sustainability of the Regional Health Service.
According to the Regional Secretary, the plan to reduce the costs of Azorean hospitals undertaken by the Azorean Government is “a measure to defend” the Regional Health Service and its sustainability.
For Miguel Correia, the expenditure is excessive because Azorean hospitals, as Public Business Entities, are being funded in an amount equal to what they would receive if they were private hospitals.”
“If hospitals are receiving as if they were private entities, at market prices, if there is a disproportion between costs and revenue, it is because costs are too high,” stated the Regional Secretary for Health.
After reminding that in 2004 the Court of Auditors estimated the existing waste in the National Health in 25%, Miguel Correia said that the Government of the Azores does not intend to go “so far” in the expenditure cuts of Azorean hospitals, as he admits that “there has been some improvements in efficiency” since then.
With regard to the minimum response time in on-call duty, the Regional Secretariat for Health mentioned the existence of an order “requiring the registration of the time of call and the time when the doctor on-call arrives” at the emergency room. Moreover, the Regional Secretary added that “the records from the three hospitals are being submitted to the Regional Directorate for Health.”
Concerning the alleged retaliation of some doctors in the emergency department, Miguel Correia acknowledged “the existence of situations in the emergency department that do not dignify doctors.”