Surgeon Luis Alberto Martos is accused of damaging his boss's car at Ramón y Cajal Hospital amid allegations that hospital waiting lists were manipulated. The dispute has drawn attention to professional conduct and personal relationships inside the hospital.
Martos, who has worked at the hospital for years, recently accused his superiors of altering waiting lists. As his claims gained attention, it emerged that he also faced disciplinary action for damaging the car of his department head, Basilio José de la Torre. Documents cited by OKDIARIO say video footage convinced a judge that Martos acted out of animosity toward De la Torre, once a close friend.
Information from elDiario.es, the alleged manipulation involved changing the priority status of 57 traumatology patients, potentially doubling their maximum wait for surgery. The outlet also reported that reclassifying patients at Ramón y Cajal Hospital from 'preferente' to 'normal' increased the permissible wait for surgery from about 90 to 180 days. At the time, the hospital's traumatology waiting list included 1,665 patients, whose average wait exceeded 98 days.
The two doctors were once close enough to attend each other's weddings, but their relationship deteriorated. Sources familiar with the case say Martos envied De la Torre's position. The conflict escalated when Martos was caught on video scratching De la Torre's car in the hospital garage, then allegedly puncturing its tires with a basic. The incidents led to several disciplinary files against Martos for damage and insubordination. Possible penalties range from two to seven years of suspension or disqualification.
De la Torre did not take the first incident to court, citing their past friendship. After the second attack, he decided to testify. The case went to a hearing just one day after Martos made his public accusations about the waiting lists. The timing has fueled controversy, as the allegations became entangled with his own disciplinary proceedings.
Information from several sources, the doctor who supports Martos's version is also his romantic partner. Spain's Minister of Health, Mónica García, responded to Martos's allegations by sending a letter to the regional government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso and treating the claims as credible. Her response brought all Madrid hospitals under scrutiny.
Madrid's regional health chief, Fátima Matute, has defended the hospital's management, saying the region does not falsify waiting lists. Matute argued that Martos himself changed the severity ratings of 57 traumatology patients to reduce his workload and avoid complex surgeries, a violation formally documented by hospital leadership. She said,
