71.6% of patients prefer public health for general consultations. But the difficulties in accessing the family doctor mean that many go to private health care through medical insurance to be seen by the doctor, because the appointments are faster (this is what 75.7% of those with insurance value most ). 54.5% of patients take a week or more to get an appointment at the health center, and of these, 24.4%, more than 11 days. And 41%, more than three months to be seen by a specialist.
This saturates the emergency rooms of hospital centers, because those who need to consult a serious health problem (more than 11%) and cannot because their appointment is late do not hesitate to go to the emergency room. Something that 30% of them do.
This is indicated by the Sociological Research Center (CIS) in the second wave of the health barometer carried out in July. A study in which the population was asked questions related to the public health system in Spain.
And, despite the problems, 13.8% of respondents consider that the Spanish healthcare system works "fairly well", a figure that improves on the first wave of the survey, when it stood at 11.8%. For 46.3%, the health system "works well, although it needs some changes", a figure that increases compared to February, when it was 40.8%. Only 11.8% believe that it works poorly and "needs deep changes", a figure that decreases by 4.1 points compared to the first wave of the health barometer this year (15.9%).
When citizens are asked to rate some health services out of 10, the 061 and 112 emergencies are the ones that get the best marks, with a 7.49, followed by admission and assistance in public hospitals, with a 7, 33. The two services repeat as the best rated with respect to the previous health barometer. Specialist care consultations are the ones that get the lowest score in the study, with a 6.17. In addition, citizens prefer public healthcare over private healthcare. 71.6% choose general and pediatric consultations at public health centers, while 26.1% say they go to private ones. The figure is equal when we talk about consultations with specialists, since 58.2% choose to go to the public, while 39.1% choose the private one. When respondents with private health insurance are asked why they have it, 75.7% claim that they did so because of the speed with which they are cared for.
The percentage of people who believe that waiting lists have worsened compared to the health barometer in February has decreased by almost 10 points. Now there are 29.7% who believe that the problem is getting worse, instead of the 39.2% who said so half a year ago.
While 44.8% believe that the problem of waiting lists remains the same, the number of those who believe that it has improved (13.8%) is almost 5 points higher than in the first wave of the study, when stood at 8.6%.
When talking about improvements in primary care, the respondents agree that the most important thing is to increase the number of health personnel (9,10), that people keep the same general practitioner stably if they are satisfied (9, 10) and dedicate more financial resources to it, with an 8.96 out of 10.
According to the people who have been admitted during the last twelve months in a public hospital, the care and attention of the nursing staff is the most highly valued aspect, with a score of 8.52, followed by the care of the medical staff, with a 8.38. The equipment and technological means of the hospitals is also one of the aspects most highly valued by citizens, with an 8 out of 10. Regarding phone appointments with the doctor, 64.7% think that "some consultations can be done by phone and "others, face-to-face". 32.2% believe that "all must be face-to-face".
