WILLEMSTAD, August 20th, 2024 – Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) is compelled to address recent incorrect statements made by the Minister of Health and Finance, Javier Silvania, who claimed to be unaware of the latest updates and suggested that CMC is not actively working on solutions to address the elective surgery waiting list issue.
CMC wishes to clarify the following points to correct misinformation and provide accurate details regarding ongoing efforts:
1.Significant Reduction in Elective Surgery Waiting List
CMC has made substantial progress in reducing the waiting list for elective surgeries. The list, which previously peaked at nearly 3,000 patients, has been reduced to 1,191 patients as of Monday, August 19, of which 1,092 are SVB patients. This significant reduction results from proactive measures taken to address various challenges.
2.Continuous Communication with Minister Silvania
Contrary to the Minister’s statements, CMC has been diligently providing weekly updates on the status of the waiting list to both the Inspector and Minister Silvania. Since September 2022, Minister Silvania has been receiving these detailed updates every Monday. These reports clearly show the progress made in reducing the waiting list and provide a transparent view of our efforts.
3.Context and Background
The long waiting lists were influenced by several critical factors, including:
- Transition from SEHOS: An initial backlog of 800 patients was carried over during the transition from SEHOS to CMC.
- COVID-19 Pandemic: Elective surgeries were halted four times during the pandemic, leading to a surge in the waiting list from 800 to 2,000 patients.
- Resource Shortages: During the COVID-19 period, we faced significant shortages of operating room materials and a shortage of operating room assistants who relocated to the Netherlands. This shortage caused the waiting list to rise to nearly 2,900 patients.
To address these challenges, CMC took decisive action by recruiting and training seven operating room assistants from Colombia in September and October of the previous year. These efforts have been instrumental in our progress.
4.Decision Document and Stakeholder Approvals
The decision document (including 13 annexes) prepared by the Board of Directors, the management of the “Landelijke Vereniging Medische Professionals in Loondienst Curaçao” (LvMPiLC), SVB, and the Health Inspector, was approved on June 14 by both SVB and the Board of Directors. While the management of LvMPiLC initially approved the document, they later revised their position. This change does not negate the fact that the document received the necessary endorsements and reflects ongoing efforts to address the waiting list effectively. The inspector requested a change in the matrix but the board indicated that this change could not be made as it is against CMC governance principles.
Current Status and Future Goals
The waiting list for elective surgeries has decreased from 2,742 patients in August 2023 to 1,191 patient in August 2024. CMC aims to reduce this number further to a maximum of 600 to 700 patients, aligning with the Inspector’s guidelines for a maximum waiting time of 7 weeks for elective procedures.
Both the Inspector and Minister Silvania receive weekly detailed information since September 2022. The e-mail, including dashboard clearly show the progress and how CMC managed to reduce the waiting list. The e-mail also offers a transparent view of the efforts.
