Filenews 8 July 2022 - by Marilena Panayi
Hospitalizations of patients with ulcers in the lower extremities are reduced when they are monitored by a podiatrist by 40%, while lower extremity amputations are reduced by 70%. At the same time, a foot amputation can cost up to €50,000 while healing in hospitalization of an ulcer €20,000. These were mentioned, among others, by the representatives of the Association of Registered Podiatrists, to the Health Committee of the Parliament, which was discussing yesterday the need for the inclusion of this professional group in the General Health System.
The non-inclusion of the team of podiatrists in the System, the professionals said, "is a gap in the GHS and also affects the equal treatment between professionals", since as they pointed out "the other groups of health professionals are already integrated and offer their services to the beneficiaries / patients".
They stressed that podiatrists are a professional team that is recognized and participates in health systems internationally, and underlined that their specialty does not concern only one or two, but many categories of patients, with the largest being that of diabetics which in itself in Cyprus includes many tens of thousands of citizens who currently pay privately in order to receive the services they need.
With the positions of the association of registered podiatrists, it appeared during the discussion that the organized patients also agree with their representative stating that the claim made by the Health Insurance Organization, that patients who need the services of podiatrists are adequately managed and monitored by pathologists, dermatologists and certain surgical specialties, "in no way do we find agreement and there is no justification for the non-inclusion of podiatrists or even delay in their integration into the GHS".
On the part of the Health Insurance Organization, it was admitted that the inclusion of podiatrists in the GHS is rather imperative. However, it was said that at the moment the Organization is making efforts to balance and make it more accessible to patients in terms of the services of other health professionals, such as physiotherapy, speech therapies, etc. for which an evaluation and adjustment process is under way. At the same time, it was said that the inclusion of podiatrists was not included in the planning of the GHS, with the result that there is currently no available budget. However, the Organization, as mentioned, is committed that by the end of the year, the promotion of the procedures for the inclusion of podiatrists in the System will begin, since the Organization already has contacts with their professional association from which it has requested suggestions that will be studied.
Proposal for an interim solution
On behalf of the Cyprus Federation of Patients' Associations, a proposal was submitted to the Committee, which had been put several months ago and before the Minister of Health Michalis Hatzipantelas for the implementation of an interim solution until the integration of podiatrists in the GHS is possible. Specifically, the OSAK suggested that "until the integration of the services of podiatrists in the GHS, the Ministry of Health proceeds with the approval of a plan to subsidize the services of podiatrists for specific groups of patients and diagnoses, mainly for people with chronic diseases who need these services". The proposal, "was prepared by instructions of the Minister of Health and was submitted to the Minister on 4/4/2022. The subsidy programme could only cover serious incidents."
