Turkey healthcare workload surges as physician applications exceed 1.1 billion

Official 2025 health statistics released by the Ministry of Health reveal a significant surge in medical consultations in Turkey. Total physician applications reached 1,138,060,185, an increase of over 90 million compared to the previous year.

Family medicine units handled 466,327,428 of these applications, accounting for approximately 41% of the total workload. Despite representing only about 13% of the total physician workforce, primary care units manage a patient traffic rate 3.3 times higher than other healthcare levels. Ahmet Kandemir, President of the Family Physicians Employees Union, stated that the workload has reached an unsustainable level, noting that family physicians also manage vaccinations, pregnancy monitoring, and chronic disease follow-ups.

Health professionals expressed concern that the rising numbers indicate a breakdown in preventive care and an ineffective referral system. Abdurrahman Aktürk, President of the Health Workers Rights and Struggle Association, noted that while private hospital visits have decreased due to rising costs, applications to Ministry of Health hospitals have seen a 15.4% increase. Experts warn that the widening gap between increasing patient demand and stagnant healthcare personnel employment is exacerbating appointment crises and reducing the quality of examinations.