Hospital de Formentera has expanded its healthcare services with the introduction of Pneumology consultations on the island, a move expected to avoid more than 200 patient journeys to Hospital Can Misses in Ibiza each year.

The service began operating in September, with a Pneumology specialist travelling to Formentera twice a month to see patients and carry out appropriate respiratory assessments and diagnostic work.

Around 30 patients from Formentera had already benefited from the service by October 5, according to the latest information from the Área de Salud de Ibiza y Formentera.

Specialist Care Comes to Formentera

Until now, patients from Formentera requiring Pneumology consultations or diagnostic testing generally had to travel to Hospital Can Misses in Ibiza.

The new arrangement brings the specialist to Hospital de Formentera on alternate Mondays, reducing the need for patients to make the inter-island journey for these appointments.

The measure is particularly relevant for vulnerable patients who may find travelling between the islands difficult. Health Minister Manuela García highlighted the situation of patients who have previously needed to travel by boat, including people requiring wheelchair assistance.

More Than 200 Journeys Expected to Be Avoided

Health authorities estimate that the new service will prevent more than 200 patient journeys to Can Misses every year.

The figure represents expected avoided transfers rather than journeys already eliminated. Since the service began in September, approximately 30 patients had already received Pneumology care at Hospital de Formentera without needing to travel to Ibiza.

The development forms part of a wider effort to bring specialist healthcare closer to Formentera residents and reduce the need for inter-island travel for medical appointments.

Demand for Pneumology in Formentera

The figures from Can Misses illustrate the demand for respiratory medicine within the wider health area.

During 2025, the Pneumology service at Hospital Can Misses recorded 5,698 consultations. Of these, 798 were first consultations and 2,043 were follow-up consultations.

The service also carried out 2,857 diagnostic procedures, including examinations such as bronchoscopies, thoracic ultrasounds, spirometry, arterial blood-gas testing, thoracentesis and walking tests.

Patients from Formentera accounted for 109 consultations and 104 diagnostic tests during the year.

Hospital de Formentera Reaches 24 Services

The addition of Pneumology brings the hospital's overall service portfolio to 24 services.

Hospital de Formentera opened in January 2007 with a smaller group of services, including Gynaecology and Obstetrics, General and Digestive Surgery, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Pharmacy, Radiology, Laboratory services and Anaesthesia.

Over the years, additional specialist services have been introduced either directly at the hospital or through specialists travelling from Can Misses.

According to the latest health-service information, 17 services from Can Misses now travel to Formentera to provide care locally. These include Dermatology, Cardiology, Oncology, Digestive Medicine, Urology, Neurology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Palliative Care, Nephrology, Haematology and, now, Pneumology.

Part of a Wider Expansion of Local Healthcare

The Pneumology service is one of several recent measures aimed at expanding healthcare provision on Formentera.

A new weekday mental-health service has also been introduced, with a psychologist and specialist mental-health nurse available from Monday to Friday. The service responds to a demand previously raised by patient associations.

The Balearic Government has also announced plans to tender the construction of a new health centre in Formentera, with an investment of €4 million. The works are expected to begin in 2027 and have an estimated construction period of one year.

Reducing the Need to Travel for Treatment

For Formentera residents, the importance of the new Pneumology service goes beyond simply adding another specialist consultation.

Because the island's hospital is part of the Ibiza and Formentera health area, many specialist services have historically required patients to travel to Can Misses. Bringing more consultations to Formentera can reduce those journeys and make access to specialist care more practical for residents.

With Pneumology now available locally twice a month, health authorities expect more than 200 respiratory-related patient journeys to Ibiza to be avoided each year.

The service is another step towards expanding the range of specialist healthcare available to Formentera residents on their own island.