Hospital Can Misses has significantly reduced average waiting times for Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery consultations and operations since July 2023, according to figures released by the Ibiza Health Area.
The improvement has coincided with a substantial increase in the number of specialists working in the department. Can Misses now has 14 active traumatologists, compared with seven in July 2023.
The latest figures show that average waiting time for a Traumatology consultation has fallen by 68.10%, while the average wait for a Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery operation has fallen by 52.15%.
From Seven Specialists to 14
The department had seven active traumatologists in July 2023, despite having an authorised staffing structure of 13 positions at the time.
Since then, several specialists have joined the service, including Laura Álvarez and Alejandra Gómez last year.
The latest addition is Dr María de los Ángeles Antelo Córdova, a specialist in Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery who previously worked and completed her specialist training at Madrid's Hospital 12 de Octubre.
Her arrival has taken the department to 14 active specialists, meaning the service is now operating above its authorised staffing level of 13 positions.
Consultation Waiting List Falls by Nearly 75%
The number of patients waiting for an outpatient Traumatology consultation has also fallen substantially.
In July 2023, there were 4,165 people on the waiting list. The latest figure provided by the Ibiza Health Area is 1,046.
That represents a reduction of 74.88%, or more than 3,100 patients.
The reduction is even greater among patients who had been waiting for more than 60 days.
That group has fallen from 3,324 people in July 2023 to 473 currently, a decrease of 85.77%.
Average Consultation Wait Falls to 57 Days
The average waiting time for a Traumatology consultation has fallen from more than 180 days in July 2023 to 57 days currently.
The Ibiza Health Area calculates this as a 68.10% reduction.
The figure refers specifically to the average delay for an outpatient Traumatology consultation, rather than the number of people on the waiting list.
Surgical Waiting List Also Declines
There has also been an improvement in the number of patients waiting for Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery.
The surgical waiting list has fallen from 535 patients in July 2023 to 340 currently, a reduction of 36.44%.
Among patients waiting more than 180 days for an operation, the number has fallen from 214 to 55, representing a 74.29% decrease.
Average Surgical Wait Falls by More Than Half
The average waiting time for an operation has fallen by 52.15% compared with July 2023.
The reduction applies to the average surgical waiting time for Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery.
This should not be confused with the 36.44% reduction in the number of patients on the surgical waiting list. The two figures measure different aspects of waiting: the number of patients and the average time they wait.
Staffing Linked to Improvement
The Ibiza Health Area attributes the improvement to the progressive increase in the department's staffing levels.
The service has effectively doubled its active specialist workforce since July 2023, rising from seven traumatologists to 14.
Eduardo Escudero, director manager of the Ibiza Health Area, described the latest recruitment as positive news for a department with a high level of activity and demand.
He also highlighted the work of the department's existing staff and said waiting times for both consultations and surgery had continued to improve despite disruption associated with industrial action.
What the Current Figures Show
The latest figures provided by the health authorities show several distinct improvements since July 2023:
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Active traumatologists: 7 to 14
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Patients waiting for a Traumatology consultation: 4,165 to 1,046
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Patients waiting more than 60 days for consultation: 3,324 to 473
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Average consultation waiting time: more than 180 days to 57 days
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Patients waiting for Traumatology surgery: 535 to 340
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Patients waiting more than 180 days for surgery: 214 to 55
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Average surgical waiting time: down 52.15%
IB-Salut publishes hospital waiting-list data separately for outpatient consultations and surgical procedures and updates its public data system daily. Its definitions distinguish patients waiting for a first consultation, those waiting more than 60 days, patients awaiting surgery and those waiting more than 180 days.
New Specialist Takes Service Above Authorised Staffing Level
The arrival of María de los Ángeles Antelo Córdova means Can Misses' Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery department has reached 14 active specialists.
That is one more than the 13 positions in its authorised staffing structure.
The staffing increase has coincided with a substantial reduction in both the number of patients waiting and the average time they wait for consultations and operations compared with July 2023.
The latest figures therefore show a marked change in the department's waiting-list position over the three-year period, although the figures represent a comparison with July 2023 rather than a comparison with every hospital or specialty across the Balearic Islands.