Reality of medical specialties in the Chilean Public Health System, not Municipalized (2012)

Abstract

In the last years, in the country has been observed a deficit of medical specialists in the Chilean public system of health, not municipalized. Probably this deficit is due to the slow formation of specialists from the universities, to a reduction of the “post offers”, in relation to the demand and to a specialists’ exodus towards the private area. The aim of this study, is to analyze the number and main characteristics of medical specialists registered in a period of the year 2012, according the existing dates of Ministry of Health, (*)CONACEM, the National Universities and the Superintendence of Health. It was observed a significant increase of the number of specialists in this year in comparison to the registered data on 2004, mainly oriented to the public sector, which grew doubly, according to reliable sources. Similarly we see significant growth in the specialists in Internal Medicine, General Surgery and Psychiatry in the basic skills and anesthesiology, Traumatology and orthopedics, radiology, and Ophthalmology in the primary specialty. Nevertheless, the regional distribution continues showing deficit of attention, especially in the zones with minor population. The increase number of specialists has been due to joined efforts of Universities and Health Ministry, based in financial support and qualifications studies. According to standard socioeconomic and human development of the country, the goals of WHO (World Health Organization), must be achieved by coordinated efforts of national institutions: Ministry of Health, Universities and Medical College.