Filenews 8 July 2022 - by Marilena Panayi
On parallel roads, the Health Insurance Organization and the Association of Occupational Therapists move, with the result that the beneficiaries of the GHS are either obliged to receive occupational therapy services only during the morning hours from the professionals of the State Health Services Organization, or pay out of pocket to secure the treatments they need outside the GHS.
The disagreement between the HIO and occupational therapists, which has lasted almost two years, was transferred yesterday to the parliamentary health committee which, clarifying that it is not its role to consult, called on both sides to work together for the good of patients.
It is reported that occupational therapy services have been offered through the GHS for a year and a half. However, only occupational therapists working in the public sector have joined the System for the time being, since private individuals are waiting for the green light from their Association, which continues to consult with the HIO.
The strained relations between the association of occupational therapists and the HIO were evident throughout the meeting, with the professionals claiming that the Health Insurance Organization has never listened to their recommendations and the Organization responding that meetings were held both before the integration of the occupational therapy services in the GHS in December 2020 and during the time that has elapsed since then until today.
Neither side clearly gave its positions and the reasons for the disagreement, although as can be seen from what has been said, HIO and occupational therapists disagree both on issues of calculating the real needs of patients, and on budget issues, which are clearly related to needs.
Regarding the amount that the HIO offers for the occupational therapy services to the beneficiaries of the GHS, as mentioned by the representative of the Organization, it initially stood at €6.6 million but recently rose to €12.8 million "after the adoption of some quality criteria that had been recommended by the occupational therapists".
The doubling of the budget, as was natural, provoked the reaction of MPs who asked for more explanations while the association of occupational therapists complained about the fact that the HIO had presented to the professionals its new financial proposal, only two days before the already scheduled meeting of the Health Committee of the House.
On the part of the SHSO, the discussion raised the needs of the mentally ill for occupational therapy which are not covered through the "groups of congenital diagnoses" used by the HIO. As explained, however, an agreement has recently been reached between the HIO and the SHSO and the relevant compensations have been determined.
Occupational therapists and HIO are expected to have new meetings between them in the near future in order to discuss the new proposal prepared by the Organization.
