Healthcare Services in Türkiye: Number of Examinations per Doctor Above OECD Average
New data on the healthcare system in Türkiye reveals a significant picture regarding the workload of doctors. According to information shared by the Medical Bulletin (Tıbbiye Bülteni), the number of patients a doctor sees annually in Türkiye is well above the average of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Research shows that the number of annual face-to-face examinations per doctor in Türkiye is 4,763. This figure corresponds to approximately 2.5 times the average number of examinations in OECD countries. This situation proves that healthcare personnel in Türkiye have a much more intense work pace compared to other developed countries.
Experts state that this high number of examinations can have an impact on the quality of healthcare services and the working conditions of doctors. The fact that the number of patients is this high directly affects both the appointment scheduling processes for patients and the time doctors can allocate to each patient.
These data on the healthcare system bring the discussions regarding Türkiye's health policies and the need for physicians back to the agenda. It remains a matter of curiosity what steps will be taken in the coming period to balance the patient load per doctor.