The financial relations between the State Health Services Organization and the Health Insurance Organization are back in the spotlight with OKYPY, leaving, once again, spikes for the way in which the HIO compensates the public health sector.
The screams on the part of OKYPY were continuous throughout yesterday's meeting of the parliamentary committee on Health with the executive director of the Organization and the director of Primary Care stating that the HIO is unfair to the services offered by the public structures with the compensation it pays for them.
The director of primary care of OKYPY, Konstantinos Hatzigiannis, stated that the health centers of the Organization already have the possibility of doctors working in groups, which is also emphasized in the report of the World Health Organization. He argued, however, that the current remuneration model, with a ratio of 80% to 20% (80% on the basis of beneficiaries registered in their list by doctors and 20% on the basis of quality criteria and performance indicators), is unfair to OKYPY, as, in his opinion, it gives more weight to quantity than quality.
He also raised the issue of prevention programs, citing as an example diabetes counselling, which, according to him, is not reimbursed by the existing system. As he said, services are also provided in the medical centers by trained nursing staff, with the relevant cost being borne by OKYPY.
The executive director of OKYPY, Kypros Stavridis, also left spikes for the treatment of specialized units. He argued that the HIO is downgrading their role, despite the organization of specialized clinics in public hospitals.
Earlier in the discussion, the executive director of OKYPY had also intervened when, during his position on issues concerning personal doctors, the representative of the HIO, Petros Neophytou, referred to the way decisions are made, explaining that the HIO is an insurance Organization and operates on the basis of a specific budget.
"Because we named it the Health Insurance Organization, it should not consider itself as an insurance organization that manages a budget," said Kypros Stavrides, indicating to the representative of the HIO that "the role of the Health Insurance Organization is also to ensure the quality of the services of the GHS".
On behalf of the HIO, Petros Neophytou stressed that the Health Insurance Organization "recognizes the important role of public hospitals".
"We are in constant consultation with OKYPY on these issues," he indicated.
Limassol Hospital: Employee complaints and Pamborides' suggestions for nurses
The intervention of Giorgos Pamporides in the nurses' unions marked the discussion of the problems recorded in the Limassol general hospital with the former Minister of Health commenting on the positions on understaffing and the processing of non-nursing duties by qualified nurses, wondering "why health caregivers were never included in the hospitals".
Specifically, during his statement on the various issues concerning the Limassol hospital, representatives of the trade unions stated, in the form of a protest, that "nurses take over the duties of other employees, even ushers".
DISY MP Giorgos Pamporidis reacted to this position, asking the trade unionists: "Tell us who is responsible for the fact that health caregivers have not entered hospitals so that nurses do not perform non-nursing duties. When we signed the agreement (an agreement between the Government and the trade unions when he was Minister of Health), the inclusion of health caregivers in the wards was foreseen. This agreement was never properly implemented."
The representatives of the unions asked for the floor in order to answer, but they were not given since the meeting was already at its end.
On the substance of the issues that were under discussion by the parliamentary committee on Health, the Pancyprian Nurses' Union asked for the strengthening of the nursing staff with its representative stating that "I have been in the Limassol hospital for 20 years, the union has repeatedly raised the problems but without receiving answers".
The Pancyprian Medical Association also linked a large part of the difficulties to understaffing.
PASYDY stressed the need to support the hospital, due to the difficult cases it manages, while on the part of PASYKI reference was made to the difficulty of finding beds, the operation of the MRI scanner, access to radiotherapy and pending maintenance.
On the part of organized patients, the representative of the Cyprus Federation of Patients' Associations, pointed out that the hours, cleanliness and accommodation conditions affect the choice of hospital, while raising serious bureaucratic issues.
The executive director of OKYPY, Kypros Stavrides, stated that the staffing is at a very good level, recognizing room for improvement. It reported investments of €27 million. and announced the delivery of the intensive care unit and the dialysis unit in the coming months. The planning also includes interventions in the A&E, strengthening of paediatric services, new equipment and the development of specialized departments.
