By
the A.M. Costa Rica
staff
The Constitutional
Court Chamber has ordered Social
Security to design, in a maximum
of six months, an integrated
management system to reduce the
"disproportionate and
unreasonable deadlines that the
patient should expect to receive
care in hospitals," said the
ruling. The problem is one that
represents a systematic and
repeated violation of the right
to health.
Judges ordered the system in
response to an appeal by a
senior citizen filed on
September 13, 2018.
The citizen said that she
required surgery at the San Rafael
Hospital* in the
province of Alajuela, but that
she was not informed of a
specific date for the operation
and she was placed on the
waiting list. For this reason,
the woman appealed to the
Constitutional Court alleging
that her right to health was
violated by the medical center.
The Constitutional Court
concluded that the problem in
terms of excessive waiting lists
is a constant in Social
Security. "These actions in the
provision of public service
violate the right to health, as
a fundamental right autonomous
and violate the constitutional
principles of public service,"
said the resolution statement.
In the next six months, Social
Security must define reasonable
waiting times for treatments, as
well as objective criteria to
specify the location of a
patient on waiting lists. It was
also required to set a schedule
of actions to meet the goals.
Within the plan, Social Security
should propose solutions to the
shortcomings and problems
recognized by the institution
itself: lack of adequate
infrastructure, lack of
specialized doctors, equipment
needs, and the absenteeism of
patients to appointments in
various medical centers, among
others.
In order to follow up on
compliance with this ruling,
the Constitutional Chamber set
a public and oral hearing for
9 a.m. on November 14, 2019 in
the Supreme Court of Justice.
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On
that day, the
authorities of
Social Security
must present the
advances and
actions
developed.
In
addition, the
ruling, it was
urged that
Catalina Crespo-
Sancho, in her
capacity as
Ombudsman,
assist in the
follow-up of the
execution of
this resolution.
The ruling
includes:
-Order Social
Security must
attend waiting
lists.
- Define
reasonable
waiting periods
by pathology or
related
diagnostic
groups according
to the
symptomatology,
the level of
urgency and the
patient's
conditions.
- Determine the
objective
criteria to set
a patient on the
waiting lists.
- Set a progress
schedule.
- Take into
account such
special groups
as older adults,
with people with
disabilities,
and minors.
- Respect the
constitutional
principles in
public service
of efficiency
and
effectiveness.
According to the
statistics of
the
Constitutional
Court, in 2018,
7,037 claims
against Social
Security for
violating the
right to health
were registered.
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Have you had to
wait to be
treated at
Social Security?
We would like to
know your
thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
*Link
to reach the
place map.
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