Representatives and members Chamber of Health in Costa Rica I asked the authorities Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) what or what Opening a dialogue between the public and private sectors Health care, in order to address the issue waiting lists facing the enterprise.

The request was submitted within the framework of the forum “Experience and Patient Safety” organized by the Chamber, in which the attendees indicated that the subject of waiting lists in social security “Everyone is concerned, which is why it is necessary to sit down and talk to attend and solve A problem that has persisted for years but has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to the Chamber, the data indicate that Patients have to wait more than 500 days for a medical response.

Therefore, during the meeting, an analysis committee was opened with the participation Laura Navarro, director of the Quality of Life area in the Office of the Ombudsman; Vivien LiaPresident of the Patient NGO Consortium; Tania Jimenez In representing the CCSS Medical Department; and the Rodolfo chickpeas, Medical Director of Clínica Bíblica.

As part of the meeting, some proposals were put forward to find solutions, focusing on creating efforts so that patients have real access to healthy ecosystems and creating spaces for dialogue between the fund and the private sector.

The Chamber also stated in a statement sent to the press:

The private sector has been providing their support for many years, which has helped that in this pandemic it has been even more visible by offering hospital beds to non-COVID-19 patients and support in the vaccination process. On the subject of waiting lists, The sector confirmed that it is able to contribute more in the fields of outpatient, diagnostic and laboratory clinics, and to develop solutions with social security for the benefit of patients..

Waiting lists by numbers

Report submitted by the Board of Grievances Weeks ago, he revealed it The status of waiting lists in 2020 showed a significant deterioration compared to 2019.

According to the defense body, as of December 2020, the effect was Mainly in the fields of external consultations, procedures and surgeries.

Regarding the latter, from March to December 31, 2020, instead of performing 102 thousand surgeries as planned, only 40,590 operations were performed; he is called, 61,536 surgeries were discontinued.

In contrast, surgical waiting times witnessed a significant deterioration, going from 341 days, in December 2019, to an average waiting time of 495 days, at the end of 2020. That is, The waiting time for surgery increased by 154 days.

The patient care period has also increased from 151 days in December 2019 to 157 days in December 2020 (6 more days).

Among the medical specialties most affected by these delays, ophthalmology services accounted for 37% in the first case compared to treatments performed in the previous year, and 26% in the second.