The president of the College of Physicians of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rodrigo Martín, expresses his concern about the working conditions of doctors
The president of the College of Physicians of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rodrigo Martín, has expressed his concern about the low remuneration for on-call hours and the difficulties in reconciling work and family life for doctors in the region. Martín warns that these conditions can aggravate the lack of doctors at a time when there are not enough doctors available
The low remuneration of guards and its impact on retirement
Martín considers it outrageous that on-call hours, which are mandatory and 24 hours a day, are paid below the price of the ordinary hour. Furthermore, he highlights that these on-call hours do not count toward retirement, which is an unfair situation for doctors.
The lack of doctors and the need for imaginative solutions
The president of the College of Physicians understands that the work model of the guards has been adopted due to the lack of doctors in the region. However, he warns that this lack of personnel will continue for at least ten more years, despite the measures taken now. Therefore, Martín calls for finding imaginative short-term solutions, such as increasing remuneration and calculating retirement, among other measures.
Different perspectives on medical guards
Martín points out that among doctors there are two different views on guards. On the one hand, there is a group that does not want to assume the emotional and psychological overload that a 24-hour guard implies, since it can affect the quality of care. On the other hand, there are doctors willing to work more hours after the conventional day. Martín highlights that it is important to respect individual preferences, but emphasizes that the underlying problem is the lack of enough doctors in the market
The impact of eliminating 24-hour guards
Although it has been proposed to eliminate 24-hour shifts in favor of shifts, Martín warns that this could increase the waiting list, since the staff on call for the ER would have to be reassigned from normal healthcare. Furthermore, he highlights that medical personnel are exhausted and that low salaries and poor working conditions can lead to the flight of doctors to other countries. Martín suggests that organizational solutions be sought and digital tools be applied to reduce the number of consultations and improve the work-life balance of doctors.
The importance of improving the working conditions of doctors
Martín highlights the need for doctors not to be overloaded and to have more free time. Furthermore, he highlights that healthcare cannot function like an industrial factory, where work is done without rest. Martín emphasizes the importance of improving the working conditions of doctors to guarantee quality care and avoid saturation of Emergency services. He also urges rulers to apply new organizational solutions and take advantage of available digital tools.
The future of healthcare and the need for innovative solutions
Martín opens the door to changing organizational models at a time when artificial intelligence is gaining ground in the health field. He urges leaders not to be afraid to apply new digital solutions and tools to improve work organization and reduce the workload of doctors. Martín highlights that, if the current situation can be overcome with an organizational improvement, healthcare can experience a great improvement.
The importance of work-life balance and response in Primary Care
Martín highlights the importance of work-life balance for doctors. He highlights that many doctors are asking for more time to balance their personal and professional lives. Furthermore, he points out that the saturation of Emergency services is due in part to the lack of a rapid response in Primary Care. Martín emphasizes the need to improve work organization and reduce bureaucracy to alleviate the workload of doctors and improve the quality of care.
The current health panorama and the challenges to be faced
Martín recognizes that the current health situation is dangerous, but also exciting. He emphasizes that if politicians and doctors can overcome current challenges and improve the organization of work, healthcare can experience a great improvement. However, Martín warns that not all problems can be solved overnight and that a long-term approach is required to achieve significant changes.
Conclusions and call to action
In summary, the president of the College of Physicians of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rodrigo Martín, expresses his concern about the working conditions of doctors in the region. He highlights the low remuneration for on-call hours and the difficulties in reconciling work and family. Martín calls for finding imaginative short-term solutions, such as increasing remuneration and calculating retirement. In addition, he highlights the importance of improving the working conditions of doctors to guarantee quality care and avoid saturation of Emergency services. Martín urges governments to apply new organizational solutions and take advantage of the digital tools available to improve work organization and reduce the workload of doctors
