WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) reports 1,638 visits to the emergency department in September, bringing the total for this year to 15,711. With this, the expectation is that the total number of visits will remain more or less the same as last year when more than 21,000 patients visited the emergency department.
Of the patients who visited the emergency department in September, a majority of sixty percent (987 patients) chose to go to the emergency department on their own.
Only 22 percent (360 patients) were referred by their general practitioner. Six percent of the patients ended up in the Emergency Department because of an accident, while the remaining twelve percent (199 patients) had other reasons.
After their visit to the emergency department, 43 percent (706 patients) were sent home with a recommendation to consult their general practitioner. Twelve percent (199 patients) received advice for a follow-up at the outpatient clinic, while just over eight percent (137 patients) could go home without the need for further evaluation. Thirty percent (501 patients) were admitted to the hospital.
Waiting Times
The CMC data shows that there are significant waiting times for outpatient clinics and operating rooms. The longest waiting time is for orthopedics with nearly 260 days, followed by cardiology and internal medicine.
The waiting time for surgeries varies, with gynecology having the highest number of patients on the waiting list at 714, followed by surgery with 678 patients.
Moreover, in September, 849 CT scans, 245 MRIs, and 1,916 radiological examinations were performed. The hospital recorded 65 resuscitations and conducted 405 surgeries. There were 99 reported births, of which 26 were by cesarean section. Additionally, 56 heart catheterizations were performed.
The CMC has taken measures to reduce waiting times and improve patient care. This includes efforts to hire additional surgical assistants and the reorganization of operating rooms. The results of these initiatives are closely monitored, and as of November 1, 2023, patients will be informed about their surgery date.