Emergency services in the event of collapse: serious shortage of doctors in Ancona
Long waiting times and overcrowding are putting a strain on the regional hospital in Ancona, Torrette
The regional hospital in Ancona, Torrette, is facing a serious crisis in its emergency room. Long waiting times, overcrowding and the transfer of patients to other facilities are putting a strain on patients and health care staff, and have put the spotlight on medical staff shortages and inadequate facilities.
The shortage of doctors: the central issue
According to the regional health councillor, Filippo Saltamartini, the main cause of the crisis is a shortage of doctors estimated at 35-40%. There is also another problem: many patients go to the emergency room for non-urgent reasons, clogging up a service already under pressure. This directly impacts the quality of care, slowing down diagnosis and treatment.” The chaos in the emergency room is the result of a shortage of doctors,” said Saltamartini. “A filter is needed to direct patients to the most appropriate facilities.”
The consequences for patients and staff
The consequences of this situation are many and serious:
- Increased waiting times: Patients are forced to wait hours, if not days, for visits and treatment
- Risk of errors: Overwork and stress increase the risk of medical errors
- Decreased quality of care: Staff shortages and long waits inevitably compromise the quality of care
- Burnout of staff: Doctors and nurses are overworked, which may compromise their mental and physical health
Criticism from the opposition
The PD’s regional adviser, Maurizio Mangialardi, has harshly criticized the regional board, accusing it of incompetence and of not having adequately tackled the crisis.” Patients forced to wait hours, if not days, on stretchers,” said Mangialardi. “The system is collapsing.
Summer aggravates the situation
The situation is further aggravated by the exponential increase in demand for health care, due not only to an ageing population with greater needs for care, but also to the influx of tourists during high season periods. However, the Councillor said he was confident that the situation would improve in the coming months with new hires made possible by recent government funding.
Solutions to the crisis
The solutions to this crisis are complex and require a long-term commitment. Among the measures proposed are:
- Targeted recruitment: It is necessary to increase the number of first aid staff, giving priority to the most deficient professional figures
- Reorganization of services: It is essential to review the organization of first aid, optimizing patient flows and differentiating care paths
- Strengthening territorial medicine: Developing an efficient network of territorial services can help reduce the workload of first aid
- Incentives for emergency medicine specializations: It is necessary to make emergency medicine more attractive for young doctors by offering scholarships, specialist training courses and better working conditions.
Continuing challenge: shortage of emergency medicine doctors
Despite the positive outlook, immediate challenges remain significant. The shortage of emergency doctors is particularly worrying, as many young doctors are choosing other specialties.” We cannot find doctors to cover the territorial 118 stations,” admitted Saltamartini. “We must make emergency medicine more attractive.”