Willemstad, October 19th 2023 – Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) acknowledges the pressing challenges it faces in delivering efficient healthcare services and is proactively addressing these issues to ensure the highest standards of patient care. One of the most significant concerns voiced by patients is the extended waiting periods for outpatient clinical appointments and elective surgeries. The specialties facing the longest waiting lists for appointments include Ophthalmology, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, Pulmonology, Urology, and Neurosurgery. An increase in patient demand of approximately 10% during the last 3 years, coupled with the specialists recruitment challenge as a consequence of the LNT, has compounded the problem.
For instance, our Neurology department was constrained in scheduling patient appointments beyond a six-week period due to the departure of two specialists earlier this year. Moreover, Ophthalmology has grappled with a shortage of ophthalmologists, further exacerbated by a young local specialist choosing not to return home after learning about the new decreased Specialist salary law in effect. In Orthopedics, one specialist resigned, and Cardiology witnessed an alarming rise in patients with cardiovascular disease. The population of Curaçao has experienced a significant increase in blood pressure issues, currently estimated at 50%. Internal Medicine has faced challenges as well, with diabetes affecting an estimated 30% of the population.
CMC is committed to resolving the issues that are within its reach. To alleviate the burden on waiting lists, the clinics are actively working to optimize consultation hours. The Human Resources department is diligently recruiting new specialists, and other team members to strengthen the medical team.
In terms of surgical waiting lists, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, and General Surgery have faced the most significant delays. The shortage of operating room assistants has been a challenge for General Surgery. To address this issue, CMC has recently hired six additional operating room assistants. This will help increase CMC’s operating room capacity back to all seven rooms, allowing CMC to address surgical backlogs more effectively. The planning department will be reaching out to patients in the coming weeks to provide them with new surgery schedules, ensuring a transparent and efficient process.
This year, through the end of September, CMC admitted a total of 14,643 patients, with an average stay of 2.8 days. To continue honoring CMC’s commitment to transparency and open communication with patients and the community, CMC will be publishing the first infographics with analytical data next week. This is an overview of the hospital services including, among others, the Emergency department, Outpatient clinics, and number of surgeries.
