Madrid slashes outpatient and surgery wait times by 14% and 11% in first five months

The Community of Madrid health system reported a notable reduction in waiting periods for both outpatient consultations and surgical procedures between January and May. Average wait for external consultations fell from 69.45 to 59.91 days, a drop of about 14%, while the prospective wait time decreased from 55.25 to 48.24 days. Surgical wait times fell from 52.45 to 46.71 days, an improvement of roughly 11%.

During the same period, the number of patients served in consultations rose 9.1% to 368,915, and exits from the waiting list increased 8.9%. Patients waiting over 180 days for surgery fell from 1,015 to 870, a reduction of 145 cases. The fastest‑acting hospitals were those participating in the public‑private collaboration model, with several reporting average consultation waits well below the regional average of 59.91 days and national average of 102 days.