Hospital in Santa Maria without orthopedic specialists for over half of August
In a series of unexpected developments, several hospital services have been temporarily closed or suspended across various regions in Portugal.
The most affected specialty appears to be obstetrics and gynecology, with emergencies closing in Almada and Barreiro (on Sunday), Barreiro, Leiria, Aveiro, and Caldas da Rainha. The pediatrics emergency is also closed in Hospital de Vila Franca de Xira today.
Six emergency services are currently closed this weekend, affecting a total of seven services across the affected hospitals.
The obstetrics and gynecology emergency in Leiria and Caldas da Rainca are not functioning, while the orthopedic services at Hospital de Santa Maria will remain closed for at least 19 days in August due to systemic operational challenges.
The difficulty in ensuring schedules has worsened after at least 12 specialists refused to work overtime beyond the annual limit of 150 hours last month. This refusal has contributed to the strain on hospital resources.
It is important to note that other specialties will remain open at Hospital de Santa Maria, as it is a trauma referral center. However, patients requiring orthopedic services will be redirected to another hospital or have to wait for an on-call specialist.
While the exact cause of the orthopedic service closure at Hospital de Santa Maria is not explicitly detailed, it is likely related to financial, staffing, or administrative challenges similar to those causing temporary or permanent closures at other hospitals in recent months.
In the case of the obstetrics and gynecology service, no new information about the status of other specialties or the reason for these closures was provided in the available sources.
The former director of the Orthopedics service at Hospital de Santa Maria resigned about two weeks ago, but it is unclear whether this resignation is directly linked to the current service closure.
These closures and suspensions of hospital services are common causes cited in recent hospital service interruptions across multiple health systems, driven by factors such as financial pressures, low patient volumes, staffing shortages, or administrative transitions.
In light of these developments, patients are advised to check the status of their local hospital services before seeking urgent medical attention.
- The closure of hospital services in Portugal has raised concerns about workplace-wellness in the medical field, as some specialists have refused to work beyond their annual limit, contributing to the strain on resources.
- The suspensions of obstetrics and gynecology services in several regions could impact health-and-wellness, especially mental-health, for expectant mothers and theirInfants.
- Politics and general-news outlets are closely monitoring the financial, staffing, and administrative challenges facing Portugal's hospital system, as these factors are believed to be driving temporary and permanent closures of services.
- Crime-and-justice may also be affected, as an increase in hospital closures could lead to delays in treating victims of accidents or violence, potentially impacting their access to justice.
