Shortage of emergency doctors in Belgium

Belgium needs about 1,200 more emergency doctors in order to address the shortage, write Het Laatste Nieuws and De Morgen today. The situation is so dire, according to the newspapers, that if the emergency doctor on duty falls ill there is often no replacement, especially in smaller hospitals. Or in another case the doctor on duty might leave with the emergency services unit (MUG) ambulance, leaving patients in the emergency room to wait for an on-call doctor to arrive.

“In fact there should be two emergency doctors on duty at all times, especially when one has to be available for MUG, but that is not always feasible," says Dr. Jan Stroobants, president of the professional association of emergency physicians.

The shortage of emergency doctors may not be solved anytime soon, with very few students in Belgium graduating from university with the specialisation.