Amadora-Sintra: ER wait times soar again, doctor shortage closes orthopedics on Wednesdays

Emergency room wait times at the Amadora-Sintra hospital have surged to critical levels, with patients enduring waits exceeding 20 hours for medical observation. The situation has become so severe that elderly patients have been left waiting in chairs for days, highlighting a severe strain on the facility's resources.

Compounding the crisis, the hospital's orthopedics department is now closed every Wednesday due to a critical shortage of doctors. This closure further restricts patient access to specialized care and adds to the overall burden on the emergency services.

Hospital management has admitted to facing significant pressure, attributing the prolonged wait times to reduced staffing levels and ongoing IT problems. These issues, coupled with an unspecified accident, have reportedly worsened the situation, leading to the current critical state of patient care.