Last May, the Directorate of Primary Care Assistance identified 22 health centers having difficulty filling their doctor positions: they did not reach 80 percent of the positions filled. Today, this number has been reduced to 4 centers. And the reason why the professionals were retained lies in the measures and incentives agreed after the long strike of 2022-2023.
To end the strikes, the regional government signed a series of improvements, including compensation of 500 euros per month to family doctors and pediatricians who work or choose to do so in one of these centers with difficult coverage. This incentive is in addition to others: 450 euros per month for all primary care doctors, 500 for the afternoon shift; 300 for those working between morning and afternoon shifts, 310 for practicing in rural areas, or special pay for absorption shifts – doctors who care for patients who exceed the imposed limit of 34 per day per doctor, or 24 per pediatrician – or additional consultations, always voluntary, on their opposite team, and which are paid 50 euros per hour and a maximum of four hours per day.
This year, Madrid organized two information meetings with resident internal doctors currently in training, to explain these incentives to them and build their loyalty. Everyone was contacted personally by telephone to find out their interest in remaining in Madrid and an offer of 202 places and long-term contracts was launched.
All these measures have borne fruit: 94 MIRs chose a place in Primary – more than double that of the previous year and five times more than in 2022. The Vicente Soldevilla health center, in Vallecas, covered 100 for hundred of its medical staff. And those of Entrevías and Peña Prieta (capital of Madrid), Los Castillos (Alcorcón), Alcalde Bartolomé González (Móstoles) and Alicante (Fuenlabrada) are also close to this figure. Thus, the 22 critical centers identified were reduced to 4: those of Abrantes, Castilla La Nueva, Las Olivas and Los Rosales.
Pediatrics remains a problem: after training, 98 percent of children remain hospitalized. Today, Primary Care has formed an alliance with hospitals so that pediatricians can combine their work with that of health centers. It is already implemented in different hospitals. In addition, they have data according to which around thirty young professionals are waiting for the retirement of a similar number of pediatricians in health centers to take the plunge.
