We already know the names of all the participants in the new Government of Spain. The healthcare portfolio gets into your hands Monica Garciaformer candidate for President of the Community of Madrid More details Madrid. During her time as a parliamentarian, she made a great contribution to improving the health care system in Madrid, always relying on her profession. As an anesthesiologist, she knows from the inside what shortcomings there are in healthcare not only in Madrid, but also in Spain. And that’s exactly what he did to Pedro Sanchez decide on her appointment as minister. What it is? Health problems in Spain who will you have to face?
The pandemic has shown that the Spanish healthcare system is much less reliable than we thought. The applause on the balconies was losing momentum, giving way to institutional abuse of health workers that took its toll on them. But also in patients.
Thus, Spain’s healthcare challenges begin with providing healthcare workers and patients with the treatment they deserve. In fact, most requests from medical associations They rotate around these two axes. They point to some common problems that the Ministry can address. Although it should be taken into account that competence in the field of health delegated to the autonomous communities and that their health departments have the final say. Moreover, the situation varies greatly from one to another, so it is impossible to generalize in this sense.
Healthcare problems in Spain according to medical professionals themselves
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IMAS), Spanish University Medical Organization (OMC), Federation of Scientific Medical Associations (FACME) and General Council of Medical Organizations (CGOM) recently prepared a document describing what the health problems in Spain should be for the legislature, whose work has just begun, with Monica Garcia at the head of his ministry.
They are based on the following goals: to improve population health, improve patient experience and professional performance, and improve system quality, equity, and efficiency. To achieve this, Monica Garcia and her team face a number of challenges, of which seven can be identified.
Refocus the national healthcare system on health
Currently, the National Health System (NHS) is focused on disease control. That is, solutions are sought when people are already sick, but much less treatment work is done. prevention so that the population lives in health.
Approximately, 20% to 25% of healthcare costs In Spain this is due to preventable problems. Thus, complementing healthcare with public health strategies may require budgetary investment initially, but in the long run it will lead to savings for the government and, above all, great benefit to patients.
Develop comprehensive care
Adequate care must consist of three pillars: social resources, professional resources and services that allow you to provide good help.
The national health care system is very weak in this sense, especially since elderly and chronically ill population. For this reason, one of the objectives of Spanish health care is to develop overall strategic plans for social and health services that will facilitate the provision of services to these most vulnerable populations. Overall, though, all patients will benefit.
Expanding mental and dental health services
In Spain, one in four people will experience some form of mental health problem throughout their lifetime. The most common are anxiety and depressionwhich have also worsened since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, these numbers have only increased in recent years, but the resources of the national health system have not been able to cope with the situation. According to a study published in 2021, at that time in Spain there were 8713 specialists specializing in clinical psychology suitably qualified to work in the national health system. However, only 2,816 clinical psychologists were hired there.
This means that the healthcare system will have reserves more than 5,000 qualified specialists expand the portfolio of services. Unfortunately, financial resources are often diverted to other specialties, forcing people with mental health problems to wait in long lines or pay a doctor out of pocket. private psychologist.
Something similar happens with dentists. According to the General College of Dentists of Spain, in 2022 there will be 40,417 registered dentists. However, in primary health care there are only contractual from 1200 to 1300 dentists. Given that oral health is important and may also be linked to the prevention of other diseases, there are not enough specialists to meet the needs of the population. Additionally, the vast majority of procedures are not covered by insurance, forcing patients to turn to private dentists for even the most basic needs.
For this reason, another major challenge for Spanish health care is to provide the population with the resources to work towards their health. mental health and oral health.
Provide the national health system with a governance structure
The signatories of the document on health problems in Spain note that the return of the National Institute of Health to Autonomous communities “It was not accompanied by the creation of effective tools for cohesion.” They add that “ lack of NHS governance structure “It fosters inequality, lack of transparency, inefficiency and waste.” And, as if all this were not enough, “it was accompanied recentralization in the governments of the Autonomous Communities, an increase in the intervention of party politics in the management of health care and an increase in the bureaucratic-administrative apparatus in health care.”
All this has led to an increase in the number of organizations (agencies, departments, institutes, services, etc.) in each of the autonomous communities/health services to carry out activities and services “that would be of higher quality and would use resources more efficiently if if they were let’s unite or share them using different collaboration formulas.” Finally, these problems are joined by a large lack of transparency.
They propose four actions as a solution: provide the health system with a clear and updated regulatory framework, create an SNS Outcomes Observatory, create a National Quality Agency, and develop an information system to serve patients and health care professionals.
Involve patients in decision making
Likewise, a government structure within a social network is necessary because it is necessary for it to function according to its needs. get patients to participate. In fact, one of the biggest challenges facing health care in Spain is precisely that patients, who still support it with their taxes and who should benefit from its proper functioning, have a greater participation.
Therefore, there should be patient representation on the governing bodies of the system.
Involve doctors in the management and planning of the health care system.
Just as patients are essential, so are healthcare professionals, who are sometimes left on the sidelines in the governing bodies that are ultimately responsible for governance. how they should work.
Therefore for avoid Burn out Another major healthcare challenge that many healthcare workers in Spain already face is their involvement in these new governing bodies.
Promote the digital transformation of social networks, taking the digital history of citizens’ health as a basis.
New technologies have gradually been introduced into social media, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the professionals who signed this report believe that This is going in the wrong direction.
“There is an absolute need to reduce medical time spent recording information in digital anamnesis, develop models that make the best use of clinical information, integrate different systems and sources of information, and facilitate the prescription of pharmacotherapeutic drugs using tools that help in decision making. based on current recommendations and specific patient characteristics and include warnings about drug interactions.”
Subjects signing the report
Steps have been taken, but are not sufficient. Thus, digital transformation continues to be one of the big health problems in Spain.
Monica Garcia’s health problems
New Minister of Health Monica Garciahas already made several public statements about what problems the Spanish healthcare system wants to face first.
They are divided into two groups. On the one hand, obey fundamental patient rights, like those mentioned in the previous report. He mentioned improving mental, dental and vision health services, as well as strengthening primary health care.
However, he spoke in a completely different vein, noting that the health of citizens is achieved not only with the help of medicine. He emphasized the importance of participating in climate emergencyas it can also worsen the health of Spaniards.
You are right. Actually, Barcelona Institute of Global Health just published a study suggesting there could be a global glut in 2022 70,000 deaths linked to heat. The causes of excess mortality cannot be known with certainty. However, the models developed by these scientists show a link to the climate emergency, just like Monica Garcia.
It’s clear that caring for the planet and health go hand in hand. Although, of course, there are many other measures that need to be followed directly from the healthcare environment that should not be forgotten. Professionals and patients demand them, and they are the ones we must address to solve healthcare problems. Let’s hope this government is able to listen to them and not just hear them.
Source: Hiper Textual
