Portugese people miss on their medical appointments: Health service suffers 2,000 ‘no shows’ every day
Portugese people miss on their medical appointments: Health service suffers 2,000 ‘no shows’ every day
Every day at least 2,000 patients fail to turn up for medical appointments in Portugal’s health centres and surgeries – and doctors point the finger at increased charges and patients’ financial difficulties.
Data from the health service’s central administration shows that in January this year there was a total of 60,383 consultations, of which 5.6% were ‘no shows’.
Since April 2013, hospitals are entitled to charge for ‘no shows’, if they are not properly justified, though many of them do not take the new option up.
Doctors blame the crisis as the principal cause of patient ‘no shows’, namely because people cannot afford public transport and health service charges.
source: http://portugalresident.com/health-service-suffers-2000-%E2%80%98no-shows%E2%80%99-every-day
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