The President of the Government stated today that the Azorean people can be proud of the Regional Health Service, highlighting the increase of consultation and surgeries performed in Azorean hospitals in 2013. Vasco Cordeiro announced that the second phase of the renovation and expansion works of Horta Hospital should move forward in the second semester of 2015, as in accordance in the Regional Public Works Charter.

"The second phase includes the construction of a new Intensive Care Unit, the expansion of Emergency Services, the Dialysis and Outpatients Department, and the relocation of the Department of Hyperbaric Medicine. These services are essential to the evolution of the operating conditions of this hospital," said Vasco Cordeiro.

Under this process, the Horta Health Centre will be installed in the new building, thus ensuring "the best operating conditions as well as an effective interaction between primary health care and hospital care."

Vasco Cordeiro spoke at the opening of the new Block C of Horta Hospital, which is "another modern and functional infrastructure" at the service of the Azorean population. This 14 million Euro investment has improved the operating conditions of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Delivery Rooms, Department of Paediatrics, Physical Therapy and Blood Services as well as the outpatient service in the medical specialties of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. There was also an improvement in other areas, include social work, the computer department and administration services.

In his speech, the President of the Government announced the hiring, next month, of two orthopaedists for the Horta Hospital, which will endow this health unit with the capacity to provide a response to all surgeries in this specialty that are currently on the waiting list.

"At the same time, we are working to assure the replacement of doctors who are nearing the retirement age, for example, in the specialties of Cardiology, Oncology and Immunotherapy," the government official added, stressing that these measures fall under the goal to improve the Regional Health System and prepare it for the next decades.

Under the Action Plan for the Restructuring of Health, Vasco Cordeiro assured that the Government is "determined to introduce mechanisms to ensure the proper operation of each hospital and health unit with the aim of contributing to the actual increase of consultations, exams and surgeries."

Improving the interaction between primary health care and hospital care, promoting efficiency and defending a more humane approach are other goals to be achieved, emphasised Vasco Cordeiro.
 
According to him, "there are visible results, particularly in terms of the productivity growth of hospitals and health units."

"According to data, the number of consultations in the three regional hospitals increased by 13% from 2012 to 2013," the President of the Government revealed, adding that "the number of surgeries performed in Azorean hospitals also registered a significant of increase of almost 20% in the same period of time."
 
"These data are much more than mere statistical information. In fact, they reflect the number of Azoreans who received care under the Regional Health Service and demonstrate the effort and dedication of thousands of health professionals," said the President of the Government.

In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro also highlighted that the new rules for agreements and reimbursements, stressing that "unlike the idea that some people have conveyed, these solutions are not intended to implement cuts. The figures evidence that these solutions are better suited to the current needs as they reinforce the availability of public services. Nevertheless, the complementary activity of private health services will be maintained."

With regard to surgery waiting lists, the President of the Government guaranteed that the "Government of the Azores is aware and taking action." In this context, he recalled the reduction of the orthopaedic surgery waiting list for the Horta Hospital to half of the average time and the implementation of similar measures at the Ponta Delgada and Terceira Hospitals.

"Nowadays, we can say that the efforts to ensure the sustainability of the Regional Health Service has not been in vain and has allowed the creation of conditions to better serve the Azorean population. It also gave us, Azoreans, the possibility to decide on the organisation of services," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.

"This prerogative has always been defended by the Government even when others defended that the National Government should carry out the restructuring of our Regional Health Service. It plays a vital role insofar as it allows the Region to decide on the best way to overcome the challenges faced by this sector," added the President of the Government.

For Vasco Cordeiro, "the result of having a good Regional Health Service that can make the Azoreans feel proud is not only due to the measures and investments carried out by the Azorean Government. It is also due to the work, the dedication, commitment and professionalism demonstrated by all those involved in this sector: managers, administration boards of hospitals, heads of departments, doctors, nurses and other staff. They have contribute to the provision of an increasingly better response to the Azorean population receiving health care.

"The path we have followed and the results we have achieved are a good sign that we should continue. Without ignoring the challenges we have ahead of us, the challenges we still have to face, the areas where we have to do more and better, we must be aware that we will be able to achieve our goals and win the future of the Azores with persistence, hard work and determination," said Vasco Cordeiro.