The Regional Secretary for Health announced today in Ponta Delgada the implementation of an urgent surgery plan, designated as CIRURGE, which will reduce waiting times in surgery.
The CIRURGE plan intends to award priority status to patients who have been on the surgery waiting list for more than 18 months. It will be introduced this year on an experimental basis and in full by 2018.
"We will choose some specialties for the implementation of this model so that, with the optimisation of surgery rooms and increased production, we may effectively begin to reduce the waiting time," said Rui Luís said. He added that, "once the pilot project is completed, we will strongly invest in this measure next year."
Rui Luís who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the 15th Congress of Endocrinology and Nutrition of the Azores, held under the 16th Symposium on Diabetology and the 7th Satellite Symposium, pointed out that it is crucial to reduce waiting times and not the size of lists.
"This is evidenced by the fact that there were 10,400 people on the list by December 2016 and, in the course of six months, we have carried out 6,600 surgical interventions. Our production is high," stressed the Secretary for Health.
The Regional Secretary also mentioned the increased production of the operating rooms, standing at the limit of 25%, alerting to the availability of human resources.
"This limit cannot be increased much more. In addition to surgeons, there other human resources on surgery rooms, including anaesthetists, nurses and medical assistants. There is a group of professionals that limits production," the government official said, adding, however, that the limit could go up to 35%.
In his speech at the opening of the congress, Rui Luís mentioned the recent case of alleged corruption in the sector, calling for a joint effort, also on the part of professional associations, to avoid similar situations.
"Professional associations have play a fundamental role. On the one hand, they take action swiftly when there are specific complaints about professionals and, on the other hand, they urge their members to maintain their ethical and deontological conduct," he said.
In this congress, promoted by the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department of Divino Espírito Santo Hospital, Rui Luís also recalled the measures that the Government is implementing to prevent chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.
"In 2018, in addition to the implementation of the regional programme to promote healthy eating, the Government will award priority status to obesity and diabetes. We will continue to monitor and work with regional health units in the implementation of these activities, through the collection of indicators such as body mass index, glycated haemoglobin and diabetic foot evaluation, “said the Regional Secretary.