Canillo's Pioneer GP Dr. Joan Carles Vidal Works Part-Time Post-Retirement

Dr. Joan Carles Vidal, Canillo's first general practitioner since 1989, continues part-time consultations after retirement, while witnessing the parish's population grow fivefold to 6,500 residents.

Vidal began practising when the area had around 1,300 inhabitants and few doctors were interested in serving the parish under Andorra's liberal healthcare system. The government opened a specific call to candidates without liberal permits, leading to his appointment. "No doctor wanted to come up to Canillo because the system is purely liberal and, with so few people, the numbers don't add up," he told the Andorran News Agency.

Now retired but still active with two mornings and one afternoon each week, Vidal describes a workload that has expanded relentlessly. "Work kept growing and growing, to the point where one doctor couldn't deliver proper service," he said. This prompted construction of a new health centre to meet rising needs. "We're comfortable now, but I expect we'll feel short soon with the ongoing expansion," he noted.

Professional practices have transformed significantly. In his early years, there were no computers, scheduled appointments, or extensive paperwork for referrals. "There was no IT, and you didn't spend so much time on paperwork, referrals, and procedures—it was much faster," Vidal recalled. Waiting rooms, however, were often overcrowded, "like a disco." Today's appointment system has improved efficiency. "People arrive on schedule; it's calmer and more pleasant. I always aim for no waits," he said.

Home visits once covered areas like Soldeu and El Tarter. He now restricts them to long-term elderly patients. Healthcare facilities have progressed from a temporary office at the comú, to Cal Metge, the first health centre, and the current one.

With no fixed end date, Vidal intends to continue as long as possible. "I'm doing very little now—just two mornings and one afternoon—which keeps me at peace," he said.