The Department of Health will extend the hours of the mechanical thrombectomy service to treat ischemic strokes at Joan XXIII Hospital in Tarragona and Arnau de Vilanova Hospital in Lleida. The measure will come into effect in April in Tarragona and in June in Lleida, operating from Monday to Sunday between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
The decision entails an expansion of the coverage of a key resource in stroke care, although it will not yet reach 24 hours a day throughout the week. That is precisely the main objection raised by the Official College of Physicians of Tarragona, which has received the announcement favorably but considers it insufficient.
The college of physicians claims complete coverage
The professional entity maintains that it is not acceptable for citizens to have to wait a year to have the service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In its opinion, while that total coverage is not a reality, territorial equity in healthcare is not guaranteed.
The Official College of Physicians of Tarragona understands that the announced expansion represents a step forward, but insists that the deployment does not fully resolve the differences in access to treatment according to the time slot. In a procedure so linked to response time, the college considers it a priority to accelerate the complete implementation of the service.
The lack of professionals, at the center of the debate
To reverse the shortage of specialists, the medical corporation proposes weaving interterritorial alliances that allow incorporating healthcare professionals from other centers. The intention is to strengthen teams and advance towards continuous coverage without prolonged delays.
In that same vein, the president of the Official College of Physicians of Tarragona, Sergi Boada, proposes exploring the incorporation of professionals from other specialties into the mechanical thrombectomy service, including neurology or neurosurgery, provided they have the adequate preparation.
"Professionals who have the capabilities and training, with safety to attend to these patients" - Sergi Boada, president of the Official College of Physicians of Tarragona
The new schedule will be from 8:00 to 20:00 every day of the week in the two reference hospitals. While awaiting the establishment of full 24-hour coverage, the debate remains focused on how to guarantee a homogeneous response for patients with ischemic stroke both in Tarragona and in Lleida.