A proposal to create new reference centers was put on the table by Ana Paula MartinsMinister of Health, after four hospitals in the North warned about long waiting lists.
The directors of three of the main cardiology services do not agree with the creation of new reference centers, as proposed by the minister, to reduce waiting lists. In an interview with SIC, the director at Santa Maria says that it is enough to reinforce the centers that are already in operation
Fausto Pinto is one of the directors of three of the country’s main cardiology services who do not agree with the opening of new reference centers. From the point of view of health professionals, the solution is to reinforce the centers that already exist.
The position was expressed through an open letter, also signed by the directors of the cardiology service of the Local Health Unit of Coimbra and the ULS of Gaia and Espinho.
“Our centers are all in a position to increase their activity if we are given more resources. In the cardio-vascular area we have had difficulties in the surgical area in having anesthetists, human resources, to do what we are prepared for (…)”, says Fausto Pinto, director of the Heart and Vessels department ULS Santa Maria.
A proposal was put on the table by Ana Paula Martinsafter four hospitals in the North raised the alarm about long waiting lists.
The directors believe that creating new structures will weaken the model that has been in place since 2023.
That year, the green light was given for the creation of two surgical centers, one of them in Braga, which started operating two months ago and is at 20% capacity.
