Changes that will take effect from dawn tomorrow are being promoted by the Health Insurance Organization, the software of the General Health System, with some of them concerning all beneficiaries of the System without exception and some concerning specific groups of patients.
As far as the general public is concerned, there are two changes:
- The validity period of referrals for laboratory tests is extended from 6 months to 12
- The system includes a regulation that allows the use of a barcode when executing prescriptions in GHS pharmacies. The code, barcode, will be in the electronic file of each patient in the GHS software and upon displaying it, the pharmacist will proceed to scan and gain access to the beneficiary's prescription. Relevant information has already been posted on the GHS website.
For specific patient groups
- Cancer patients are given the right by doctors to prescribe for laboratory tests for which patients already have a referral from a doctor
- The creation of a registry of patients with multiple sclerosis begins. With the inclusion of patients in the relevant register, the right of direct access to a neurologist without a referral is given. It means that the patient will pay only €6 as a co-payment instead of €25 paid in the case of visits without referral.
These changes will be made to the GHS software during the upgrade of the system scheduled for tonight.
