IPO Porto loses anesthesiologists and "puts patients at risk"

The Sindicato dos Médicos do Norte reported a crisis in the anesthesiology department at the IPO in Porto, losing six specialists recently. This situation raises concerns about patient safety due to increased workload and reduced consultation times. The hospital administration acknowledged the shortage of anesthesiologists and reorganized operations to maintain surgical activity, performing over 9,500 surgeries this year. However, the union criticized the reduction of consultation times, which contradicts medical recommendations and poses risks for vulnerable cancer patients. The IPO confirmed changes in scheduling consultations but emphasized that all patients receive proper anesthetic evaluations before surgery. They are also seeking to fill three anesthesiology positions to strengthen the team.