Increase in Number of Physician Visits According to Health Statistics Yearbook
Ministry of Health data shows that the number of physician visits exceeded billions in 2025, while trade unions reacted to the burden this density creates on the system.
According to the Ministry of Health's 2025 Health Statistics Yearbook data, the number of physician visits increased significantly compared to the previous year, surpassing the 1 billion 138 million threshold. Healthcare workers and trade unions reacted to this picture.
Number of Visits Increased in 2025
Data from the Ministry of Health's 2025 Health Statistics Yearbook News Bulletin has been released. According to the bulletin, the number of physician visits, which was 1 billion 47 million 877 thousand 901 in 2024, increased by 90 million 182 thousand 284 to reach 1 billion 138 million 60 thousand 185 in 2025. The annual number of physician visits per capita rose from 12.2 to 13.2.
Reaction from Healthcare Workers to Uncontrolled Spiral
Healthcare workers and trade unions interpreted the increasing applications as the disabling of preventive healthcare services. Abdurrahman Aktürk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Healthcare Workers Rights and Struggle Association, stated that this situation does not show that society has attained health, but rather that outpatient clinic doors are knocked on repeatedly because qualified diagnosis and treatment cannot be obtained.
Hospital Burden and Referral Chain Problem
Due to the failure to operate an effective referral chain, the share of primary care family medicine dropped from 43.3 percent to 41.3 percent. Due to the high cost of living and private hospital fees, the average application per capita in Ministry of Health hospitals recorded an increase of 15.4 percent.
Employment Gap and Shrinkage in Personnel
Despite double-digit growth in examination demand, total healthcare personnel employment increased by only 0.31 percent. While the physician staff reached 232 thousand, nurse and midwife staff decreased by 1,355 people down to 325 thousand. The number of nurses and midwives per one hundred thousand people fell from 381 to 378.
Sustainability Warning from Family Physicians
Taner Balbay, Chairman of the Federation of Family Physicians Associations, stated that family physicians look after too many patients and shoulder the burden of other tiers alongside primary care. Balbay stated that this situation is not sustainable and emphasized that the burden on their shoulders must be urgently reduced.