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Surgery wait times shrink at Vega Baja's two public hospitals
Torrevieja Hospital leads with a 56-day average wait time for surgery
Patients needing surgery in the Vega Baja have reason to feel relieved. Both public hospitals in the area are performing better than the regional average when it comes to getting people into operating rooms, according to the latest figures from the local Ministry of Health.
While the Valencian Community average wait is 80 days, at the Vega Baja Hospital it is 77 days - a modest but important improvement. At Torrevieja University Hospital the data is better, with an average wait of 56 days, putting it well ahead of the regional norm.
The numbers come from the ministry's latest semi-annual report, covering data up to June 30.
While these surgery wait improvements are welcome news, they highlight the ongoing pressure on existing facilities. Areas like Orihuela Costa, where 30,000 residents rely on a single overwhelmed medical centre, demonstrate the urgent need for expanded healthcare infrastructure alongside efficient surgical scheduling.
The Vega Baja Hospital has seen particularly encouraging progress. The average wait time fell from 108 days in December to 77 days in June, though officials note these represent different care periods.
Today, 1,610 patients are on the surgical waiting list, with half waiting no more than 90 days. Another 328 patients have been waiting between 91 and 180 days, while 462 have been waiting more than six months.
The waiting times vary dramatically by specialty in the Vega Baja. General Surgery patients face just 40 days on average, with 230 people currently in the queue. Gynecology-Obstetrics patients wait 51 days, with 41 people waiting. The longest delays hit Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, where 768 patients wait an average of 115 days. More than half of orthopedic patients endure waits exceeding six months.
Torrevieja Hospital's performance is more consistent across specialties. Of 1,667 patients on surgical waiting lists, 1,197 have been waiting less than three months, 299 between 91 and 180 days and 171 more than 180 days.
General Surgery at Torrevieja averages just 36 days, with 238 patients waiting. Gynecology averages 46 days for 70 patients, with most waiting under 90 days. Even Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology performs well at 55 days average for 278 patients, with 198 waiting under 90 days and only eight facing waits over six months.
When compared across the Valencian Community's 25 health departments, Torrevieja is certainly holding its own. Only ten departments perform better, including Vinarós with 53 days average, Sagunto at 39 days, Requena at 40, Valencia-Doctor Peset at 55, La Ribera at 49, Denia at 47, Marina Baja at 55 days, Manises at 54 days, Elche-Crevillente at 35 days and the Provincial Hospital Consortium of Castellón at 45 days.
Vega Baja Hospital in Orihuela, while still beating the regional average, ranks lower in the comparison. According to official statistics, only seven departments in the Valencian Community have worse delay rates.
The improvements suggest that both hospitals are managing patient flow more effectively, but this progress comes at a time when coastal communities like Orihuela Costa continue to push for expanded healthcare infrastructure, with residents there still waiting for a promised second medical centre after more than five years of delays.
Image: Xinese-v via Wikimedia Commons
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