Despite the scandal revealed by audios in which Ribera Salud's director asks to extend waiting lists to earn more money, patients at Torrejón Hospital have mixed opinions about the service. While some express frustration over repeated cancellations and recent protests, others positively value their recent experiences. The debate over Madrid's public-private healthcare model intensifies with ongoing investigations.
Torrejón Hospital, a public facility managed by private firm Ribera Salud, is at the heart of a controversy following EL PAÍS's publication of audios. In them, executive director Pablo Gallart states that "the elasticity of the profit and loss account to the waiting list is direct," implying that delaying treatments boosts company earnings. The day after the revelation, Gallart stepped aside from management, and Ribera Salud announced a deep audit.
Madrid's regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, initially silent, stated that "any bad practice will be eradicated with force," but soon downplayed it as "squabbles between executives." The national Health Ministry, under Mónica García, requested an investigation into other privately managed public hospitals in Madrid without response, and announced its own probe into irregularities at Torrejón.
Patients like 67-year-old Manuel Ruiz with COPD have faced 13 appointment cancellations since October, six days after Gallart's order. "They're not going to do anything until I die," he laments. Carmen González, 68, who had heart surgery in February, endured delays leading to a heart attack; only after a complaint did she receive apologies and respected appointments. In contrast, 17-year-old Martina and 44-year-old Javier Ojeda report positive experiences with surgeries and quick follow-ups, though they note typical waits.
Last Friday, about 500 people protested outside the hospital over its decline. Staff, under a "regime of terror," denounce pressures to handle maximum patients and high recidivism rates due to insufficient time. An anesthetist in 2023, before resigning, wrote of "false promises and more dismantling," after 12 colleagues left in six months. Healthcare workers agree that, despite their efforts, conditions are unsustainable.
