According to María del Rocío Sáenz, executive president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), some efforts, such as programs for evening surgeries, are beginning to bear some fruit and now a patient does not wait 265 days for a surgery but 201 days.
She admits that the institution needs to keep improving medical care. The CCSS wants to evaluate the problem of waiting not for the number of patients, but by the time everyone waits for a procedure.
To Sáenz, to have empty lists is not possible, but it is very likely to reduce the waiting time.
Regarding outpatient surgeries, the CCSS intends to reach a 90-day waiting period.
Sáenz declared that part of the efforts of the programs are seen in San Juan de Dios Hospital, San Vicente de Paul Hospital in Heredia, Escalante Pradilla Hospital, Pérez Zeledón Hospital and in the Eye Clinic.
In Heredia hospital, auhorities enabled 8 out of the 10 operating rooms to operate cases of gynecology, otolaryngology, urology, peripheral vascular, ophthalmology, among others.
In San Juan de Dios Hospital, it is intended to perform more than 24 procedures such as general surgery, otolaryngology, urology, surgical oncology, orthopedic surgeries and others like ultrasound and bone densitometry.