The Emergency Physicians working at the Emergency Department, Mater Dei Hospital said they were insulted by the statements that Minister Chris Fearne made, as quoted by the Sunday Times of Malta, in an interview reported on 26 March, the Medical Association of Malta said today.
While they agree that changes have been made at the Emergency Department which have resulted in reduced waiting times, they are concerned that Minister Chris Fearne has been quoted to have said that, among other factors, the waiting times have improved since 2013 because of an IT system which was installed, and that “the doctor knows that the CEO is watching … so it works”.
This allegation implies that if this were not so, doctors would not be delivering as they are doing now, MAM said. It therefore casts serious doubt on the professionalism and integrity of Emergency Physicians who have adapted their work practices to see patients in a timely manner and carry out their duties under the constant pressure of time constraints and increasing patient numbers. This is done keeping the patients’ safety at the forefront at all times.
The IT system mentioned by Minister Chris Fearne was originally proposed by the Emergency Physicians themselves. The primary aim of the system was to track the progress of each patient in the Emergency Department and not to monitor the doctors who use it. In view of the above, the Minister may wish to clarify the reported comments to clear any ambiguity that may be perceived vis-à-vis the professionalism of Emergency Physicians.
In a tweet this morning, Health Minister Chris Fearne said that he met with Emergency doctors this morning, and said that he is "grateful for their professionalism and sterling servie in bringing down waiting times."