Doctor David Andina Calls Out Patients for Not Canceling Medical Appointments
Emergency pediatrician and National Medicine Award winner, David Andina, has taken to social media to express his frustration with patients who fail to attend medical appointments without prior notice. Andina, known for his advocacy for better healthcare practices, highlighted the impact of this behavior on the functioning of the health system.
In a recent post, Andina shared a screenshot showing six patients who did not show up for their scheduled appointments without canceling them. He described this behavior as selfish and harmful to both the health system and other patients in need of medical care. Andina emphasized the importance of canceling appointments promptly, noting that it only takes a few seconds to do so through the mobile application.
While acknowledging the challenges of canceling appointments with specialists in hospitals due to overwhelmed switchboards, Andina underscored that managing appointments in Primary Care is a more straightforward process. He urged patients to take responsibility for their appointments and consider the impact of their actions on others’ access to healthcare.
The situation of waiting lists in the Spanish public health system has exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly two million surgeries pending until 2022. A study by the Venturi Project for the Circle of Health revealed the increasing proportion of waiting lists compared to medical activity, attributing it to various factors such as patients temporarily unable to be scheduled or waiting for non-reported specialties.
Despite a slight decrease in the average waiting time, the volume of patients on surgical waiting lists has reached record numbers, with a significant differential of unaccounted patients. The study underscores the urgent need to address the backlog and prioritize effective management of medical appointments to ensure timely access to necessary healthcare services.