Review of Waiting Time at the Figueres Hospital
During the year 2023, patients who went to the Emergency Department of the Figueres Hospital experienced an average wait of 50 minutes for their attention. This time represents a decrease of five minutes compared to the previous year, although it is important to note that compared to 2019, the waiting time has increased dramatically by 38 minutes. Patients then waited an average of 12 minutes to receive care.
Analysis of Services and Demand
In 2023, the Figueres Hospital treated a total of 80,214 patients in the emergency room, a figure lower than in 2019, when the waiting time was noticeably shorter. In that year, 82,438 patients were treated, while in 2022 the figure was 76,523, with a waiting time five minutes higher.
Although the 50-minute waiting time in Figueres may seem high, it is important to note that other centers have even longer waiting times. For example, the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona registers a wait of 114 minutes, while the Hospital residence Sant Camil, in Garraf, reaches 104 minutes. On the other hand, some hospitals have managed to significantly reduce their waiting times, such as Bellvitge Hospital, which went from 130 minutes in 2019 to 55 last year.
Trends in Girona
Doctor Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona attended a total of 82,830 emergencies last year, with an average waiting time of 61.5 minutes. This figure represents an increase compared to 2022 (60.7 minutes), following the upward trend since 2019, when the wait was 58.4 minutes. In this case, waiting minutes have tripled since 2010, when the average was roughly 20 minutes.
General trends
Hospital emergencies in the public network treated a total of 3.8 million patients in 2023, an increase of 2.2% compared to the previous year. Despite the increase in demand, waiting times did not increase during this period. However, the steady increase in patients since 2010 has put additional pressure on services, as staff and space resources have not kept pace.
According to the director of the Sant Pau Hospital’s Emergency Service, Mireia Puig, the increase in patients in hospital emergencies has been progressive since 2010, with an annual increase of approximately 2.5%. This trend has been exacerbated by the change in the profile of users, with a notable increase in the population of elderly people using these services.
Analysis of Severity Level and Waiting Time
The data collected reflects the variation of waiting times depending on the level of seriousness of the cases. Level 4 emergencies, which represent 49% of the total, have an average waiting time of 65.7 minutes. Level 3, which make up 32% of emergencies, have a similar waiting time. In contrast, those in level 2, which represent only 5.4% of the total, have the lowest average waiting time, at 52.8 minutes.
Other Featured News
In other news from the Alt Empordà , information is given on various topics, such as the lower turnout in the municipalities, actions of the Urban Guard, political opinions and cultural events.
