Thessaloniki: Hospitals without anesthesiologists cease to be hospitals – Recruiting in the NHS calls for scientific bodies
The message that without anesthesiologists, surgeries cannot be performed and that hospitals without surgeries cease to be hospitals, was given during a press conference by representatives of five scientific companies dealing with anesthesiology.
Simultaneous announcement of all vacancies
The representatives of the scientific societies propose to the Ministry of Health a simultaneous announcement of all vacant positions and a timely declaration of the vacant organizational positions of anesthesiologists in the NHS hospitals.
As pointed out during the press conference, for the health system to function properly, there should be 20 anesthesiologists per 100,000 population, while in the country the number is less than 10.
In the 82 largest hospitals, 891 organic positions according to the data of 2019
According to data from 2019, in the 82 largest hospitals in Greece, the number of organic anesthesiologist positions was 891, of which only 650 were covered, while the anesthesiology specialist positions were 463, of which 167 were covered and today were covered. the 150. Regarding Northern Greece, they reported that hospitals are understaffed by around 40%, while at the same time there is a shortage of anesthetists and specialist anesthetists.
They also noted that there is a serious problem in Thessaloniki, Hippocrates and in the region in Serres and Drama hospitals, which are staffed by transfers of anesthetists from other hospitals. They also pointed out that the announcements for the positions of anesthesiologists are declared barren, and that in the 3rd Ministry of Health, out of the seven positions that will be announced, only four will be filled.
Inhibitory factors
It was also pointed out that the 2012 memorandum reduction of doctors’ salaries by 55%, the doubling of on-call hours and the intensification of work, are inhibiting factors for anesthesiologists to stay in hospitals. At the same time, they said that in addition to the problem of the lack of anesthesiology that makes the operation of hospitals problematic, young doctors must be given incentives to train in anesthesiology and various sub-specialties.
They also noted that citizens do not know exactly what an anesthesiologist does and think that he only deals with the patient during surgery, while the anesthesiologist’s work begins before surgery and continues after surgery.
Patients with terminal cancer remain uncovered
They also pointed out that due to the lack of anesthesiologists, the Pain and Palliative Care Clinics operating in the hospitals are closing, leaving patients with chronic pain without palliative care for patients with end-stage cancer.
The interview was given by the presidents of the Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine of Northern Greece, Theodora Asteri, of the Hellenic Society of Anaesthesiology, Anna Malisiova, of the Hellenic Society of Pain Medicine, Kyriaki Bagdatli, of the Hellenic Society of Pain Treatment and Palliative Society of Athenian Care, a division of the Regional Society Anesthesia, Efi Stavropoulou and Eleni Moka.
Source of RES-EMP