GHS general practitioners will receive an increase to the compensation of €10 they receive for each citizen they register on their list, philenews reported on Friday.
It said that the amount will be increasing proportionately depending on the number of citizens they register.
GPs is allowed to have up to 2,500 patients on their list.
Specialist doctors will also see an increase in their compensation by September as negotiations between the Ministry of Health and trade unions are continuing
Citizens submit complaints about doctors
According to philenews, the Health Insurance Organisation (OAY) and the Ministry have received complaints by citizens saying that some doctors do not respond to phone calls. There were also complaints about long waiting times for appointments.
The Ministry and the independent commissioner for supervising the GHS have recorded unethical behaviour by a small number of doctors who guide their patients to specific health service provides (specialist doctors, clinical labs), something which is illegal, philenews reported.
“In the case that beneficiaries are not satisfied with their GP, they can either wait for the six month window to pass and change their doctor, or they can ask their GP to ‘release’ them in order to choose another doctor,” OAY vice president Athos Tsinontides said.
There were also recorded cases of GHS doctors providing private services to citizens who haven’t signed up to the system, the Ministry and OAY told a House Health Committee session yesterday.
According to Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou, 373 GPs and 114 pediatricians have registered to provide their services under the GHS.
Regarding specialist doctors, he said that although the numbers are increasing, they are still lower than expected. He said that on Thursday morning 517 specialist had signed up with the GHS.
Software problems
During the House session, the Health Minister said that GHS’ software experienced technical problems during the first weeks of the system but expressed his confidence that these will be resolved after a planned update on Friday morning.
OAY’s vice president added that, for the updates, they took into consideration suggestions submitted by citizens and health services providers.
The update will resolve problems regarding drug recipes, lab examinations and the transfer of data, he said.
The next update will take place in two weeks, he added.
