Pain patients with orthopedic ailments – especially children – need patience and a high level of endurance in Vienna. Thousands are on the waiting list for an operation in the Speising Special Clinic. In some cases, it will only be your turn for nine months.
Not only the community clinics are struggling with staff shortages and many departures – we reported on the hazard reports from several hospitals. Even the renowned Spital Speising, which specializes in orthopedics and belongs to the Vinzenz Group, can hardly keep up with all the work. Consequence: Even patients with severe pain wait nine months for a hip or knee operation. Children’s department particularly affected An employee explains: “There is a particular lack of surgical nurses, many beds in the department are closed.” You have to know: Speising is a special clinic. Various interventions – especially in the field of pediatric orthopedics – can only be carried out here, with the exception of the AKH. Nowhere else in Vienna or in the surrounding area. Clinic spokesman Pierre Saffarnia explains the long waiting times as follows: “Since many employees were absent due to a corona infection during the ‘hot’ Corona phase, operations had to be postponed. In addition, the shortage of nursing staff is affecting all healthcare facilities in Austria. The waiting list is listed on the clinic website. And it promises one thing for those affected: prolongation of their suffering. 1675 patients are waiting for their injured knee to be repaired. Waiting time: 288 days. 1007 waiting for a new hip (265 days). Only with the spine it goes a little faster: In just under three months you are on the table. Calculated on average. “The ranking of appointments is based solely on medical criteria: acute or urgent operations are prioritized,” says Saffarnia. The solution to the misery? Only achievable in the medium to long term. Train more nursing staff and make healthcare professions more attractive.
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