Swift Summary
- Torrevieja will open a second Punto de Atención Continuada (PAC) at the El Acequión Health Center starting early August 2025.
- This new urgent care point improves healthcare access outside regular hours and on holidays, complementing the existing PAC at La Loma center.
- The move addresses increased population and tourism-related healthcare demand, with Torrevieja’s population perhaps tripling during peak seasons.
- The El Acequión PAC operates 15:00 to 08:00 on weekdays and 24/7 on weekends and holidays, relieving pressure on hospital emergency services.
- Improved distribution of urgent care services across the city aims to reduce waiting times and enhance healthcare quality for residents and visitors alike.
Torrevieja Adds Second Urgent Care Center to Enhance Healthcare Access
The Conselleria de Sanidad has announced the launch of a new Punto de Atención Continuada (PAC) in torrevieja starting from the first week of august 2025. This addition marks a significant step in improving healthcare access in the city by introducing a second urgent care center alongside the existing one at the La Loma Health Center.
What Is a Punto de Atención Continuada (PAC)?
PACs are specialized healthcare points designed to provide immediate care for non-life-threatening medical urgencies outside typical health center hours,including nights,weekends,and holidays. They play a crucial role in preventing unneeded hospital emergency visits by offering timely medical attention.
why Torrevieja Needs a Second PAC
- Currently, Torrevieja has only one PAC located at the La Loma Health Center, which serves an average of 230 patients daily, with peaks up to 340.
- Population growth and seasonal tourism cause a dramatic increase in healthcare demand, sometimes tripling the city’s official population of approximately 106,350 inhabitants.
- The existing PAC experiences overcrowding, leading to longer wait times and overworked healthcare staff.
- Remote neighborhoods and wide urban spread make accessing the sole PAC challenging, especially during peak times.
- To address growing healthcare needs, the health authority decided to establish a second PAC in the southern part of the city.
Details of the New El Acequión PAC
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | el Acequión Health Center, southern torrevieja |
| Opening Date | First week of August 2025 |
| Operating Hours |
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| Purpose |
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Benefits for Torrevieja Residents and Visitors
- Better Access: Residents living further from La Loma, especially in the southern zones, will have quicker and easier access to urgent care.
- Reduced Wait Times: Splitting urgent care across two centers means patients get faster attention.
- Healthcare Staff Relief: Helps reduce burnout and pressure on medical staff working in the overstretched La Loma PAC.
- Hospital Emergency Decongestion: less non-urgent cases arriving at hospital emergency rooms, allowing focus on serious cases.
- Seasonal Preparedness: More robust medical support during high tourist seasons such as Easter and summer.
Background and Community Need
On November 27, 2024, the SATSE union in Torrevieja formally requested urgent expansion of urgent care services due to saturation in the existing PAC, long wait times, and difficulty accessing healthcare in some neighborhoods. The Conselleria’s decision to open this new center helps meet these critical issues.
Conclusion
The inauguration of the El Acequión PAC represents a strategic enhancement in the health services of Torrevieja.by establishing two well-distributed urgent care points in a city with fluctuating population numbers,local authorities are ensuring better healthcare accessibility,faster emergency response,and improved quality of care for all residents and visitors.