Amadora-Sintra Hospital experienced a critical situation with a 70-year-old chronic patient, identified as João, who remained for approximately 36 hours in the emergency department before receiving adequate care. The man had a yellow wristband, which means his case was considered moderate urgency.
João waited almost an entire day until being seen by a doctor for the first time, a significant delay even for the triage level assigned to him. After that first contact with a doctor, the case ended up being forgotten amid the chaos of the department.
The situation experienced at Amadora-Sintra reflects a broader reality: hospital emergency departments are at the limit of their capacity. The excess demand and lack of resources have led to increasingly long waiting times and situations like the one experienced by this patient.
