Crisis of hospital doctors: exhausting on-call shifts continue after the tragedy of Dr Szabo

The dire situation within Romania's healthcare system continues to take a profound toll on the care of elderly patients, even two months on from the tragedy that shook the medical world. The death of a doctor whilst on duty at Buzău County Hospital brought into sharp focus the systemic problems persisting across medical units throughout the country.

The Buzău hospital is currently facing a critical shortage of doctors in departments essential to the treatment of older patients. The Neonatology ward operates with just three doctors covering on-call duties, whilst Cardiology — a specialty vital to elderly patients with cardiovascular conditions — has only one salaried doctor and one providing services on an external basis.

The impact of this staffing crisis is felt directly in the quality of care provided to elderly patients, who make up a significant proportion of cases treated in county hospitals. The gruelling on-call rota forces the remaining doctors to work under extreme conditions, which can compromise their ability to deliver optimal care.

The ENT department, which frequently treats conditions common in older age, finds itself in an equally precarious position. With only three doctors currently in post, the team risks being reduced to two following legislative changes concerning the combining of pension payments with a salary — a measure affecting many senior doctors with extensive experience.

To prevent the complete collapse of medical services, hospital management has been forced to resort to emergency measures, including bringing in external doctors. This temporary solution does not, however, address the underlying problem of the shortage of qualified medical staff within the state system.

The situation in Buzău reflects a deeply troubling national reality that directly affects the medical care of elderly people. Marathon on-call shifts and the exhaustion of medical staff can lead to medical errors and a decline in the quality of care, placing vulnerable patients' lives at risk.

Public health experts warn that without genuine reform and substantial investment in human resources, Romania's healthcare system will continue to deteriorate. This means that elderly people — those most in need of quality medical services — will bear the heaviest burden of this systemic crisis.