GESS is here, it is already two years old, it is constantly improving to be more functional for the beneficiaries and providers, aiming to remain in our lives for many more years, said the Minister of Health Konstantinos Ioannou.
Speaking at a press conference on the occasion of the two years since the implementation of the GESS, Mr. Ioannou stressed that the responsibility for its protection is in the hands of each citizen individually.
"With GESS, we are all winners. "GESS is the greatest social conquest, it is our legacy to our children, for whom the whole society should feel proud", he stressed.
The benefits from GESS are multiple
With GESS, said Mr. Ioannou, the health sector is in the process of radical restructuring and the benefits we are reaping are multiple. The most important thing, he noted, is that through GESS we have streamlined the procedures for patients' access to health services. "Initially, the Personal Physician was instituted, helping to save money from the family budget, since now the beneficiaries are referred to a Specialist Doctor of the right specialty to diagnose their condition, limiting unnecessary medical procedures, and saving time by saving creating irreversible health problems ", he added.
At the same time, he noted, the institution of the neighborhood pharmacy was introduced, thus ensuring the universal access of the beneficiaries to the medicines necessary for their treatment by paying a small amount of contribution. At the same time, he continued, controlled drug administration has curbed the phenomenon of uncontrolled drug use without diagnosis and prescription.
"Everyone understands the benefits of an organized Health System, especially for the chronically ill. The sums that the chronic patients had to spend for their treatments were huge and in many cases their payment was impossible. "Through the staff of the Doctor and the easy access to Specialist Doctors, but also to the medication at a low cost, the interventions are made in time and the negative effects on their health are reduced as much as possible", he added.
GESS, pandemic and 2η phase
Just a few months after the start of GESS, said the Minister, we found ourselves in the vortex of the coronavirus pandemic. "Inevitably, these unprecedented conditions also affected the GESS. Keeping contributions at the same level for an additional three months forced the Health Insurance Agency to continue with reduced revenues. "In the midst of a pandemic, we were called upon to make the very difficult decision as to whether or not we would proceed with the implementation of the 2nd phase", he noted.
Once again, he continued, we needed to convince the parties involved that the benefits of starting the second phase, even in the midst of a pandemic, would outweigh the costs.
"Thus, we have reached the integration of inpatient services from June 1, 2020. Gradually, however, and through dialogue between the OAY and private hospitals, the intention to integrate has increased and now there is nationwide coverage and options for all citizens," he added.
Today, said Mr. Ioannou, one year after the start of the inpatient phase, a total of 54 hospitals of OKYPY and the private sector, 2,585 doctors, ie the vast majority of the country's medical staff, 554 pharmacies, 149 diagnostic laboratories, 615 dentists, 59 nurses and midwives, along with 1,077 other health professionals of various specialties, are contracted with OAY and offer their services through GESS to more than 892 thousand beneficiaries throughout Cyprus.
In order to complete the General Health System, he noted, it remains the integration of palliative care and rehabilitation services, as well as specialized laboratory tests offered by specific medical centers. "We expect a positive outcome as soon as possible and soon we will be able to have a complete Health System that will fully meet the needs of its beneficiaries," he added.
When the pandemic broke out in our country, said Mr. Ioannou, we seemed lucky in our misfortune and that is because we already had the General Health System at our disposal and we were able to cope with the fewest losses.
"We had the Personal Doctors who helped the most in the management of the positive cases, but also in the vaccinations that are in progress now. The operation of the GESS software was a key component for the organization of the National Vaccination Plan against COVID. During the lockdown, patients were provided with the necessary medicines for the smooth continuation of their treatments, with the cooperation of Personal Doctors, pharmacies and volunteers. With the cooperation of private and public hospitals, it became possible to serve all patients in need of inpatient care throughout the pandemic. "All these are just a few points where the GESS was an important ally in the management of the unprecedented conditions brought by the pandemic", he added.
The beginning of GESS
At dawn on June 1, 2019, the feelings of the whole society were ambiguous, said the Minister - on the one hand, the longing for the beginning of the biggest reform of the last decades and, on the other hand, the longing for the new, the unknown for all marked the first days of the implementation of the General Health System.
"The great reform that we have all been talking about for decades has gained strong supporters, but also fanatical opponents. After endless discussions, with determination and guided by the interest of the citizens, the GESS took on flesh and blood in a climate of tension and doubt. On the one hand, there was controversy, to some extent justified, since in the first steps of the new Health System, few supported it: the GESS started with 358 General Practitioners for adults, 105 Personal Practitioners for children, only 53 Specialists, 220 pharmacies and "29 diagnostic laboratories, and with a new Software", he stated.
On the other hand, he continued, he had at his side 510 thousand citizens, who enthusiastically welcomed the new Health System. "This was proved by the ever-increasing number of beneficiaries in the System. "The response we saw from the citizens made us even more stubborn, in order to carry out the project for the good of thousands of citizens", he noted.
"I will not try to beautify the situation that prevailed two years ago. From the very first days of the start of the 1st phase, we noticed some weaknesses in the System and immediately, attention was focused on the improvements that needed to be made, so that the foundations are strong for the future. It took a lot of adjustment time from the providers, but mostly from the patients. It was a completely new Health System, which overturned everything we were used to until then, and reasonably the first period was recognizable ", he added.
Mr. Ioannou congratulated the management, management and staff of OAY, all health professionals and providers in general, who are implementing this major reform. "I especially feel the need to publicly thank the President of the Republic, who at critical times, lifted the burden of responsibility and remained unmoved in the implementation of the decision to implement the GESS", he concluded.
OAY: Reduce abuse and invest in quality the next bets
On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Health Insurance Organization (OAY) Thomas Antoniou referred to the challenges and stages faced by the GESS until the normalization and stabilization of the system.
"I feel, and I think you share the assessment that the system has been normalized, stabilized," he said, adding that it is society's assessment that GESS is a conquest.
Referring to the next bets, he said that these should be to further reduce the abuse and invest in quality, and as he said that there is an understanding with the Pancyprian Medical Association and the Pancyprian Association of Private Hospitals that they should invest together in quality.
He also said that the Ministry is building its cooperation and is at an advanced stage of cooperation with NICE, the UK body responsible for quality and protocols.
At the same time, he mentioned that two years ago Cyprus had the highest percentage of personal expenditures in the field of Health, and while the expenditures of the Ministry of Health were around 500-600 million, while today the expenditures of GESS are around 1,2 to 1,3, 600 billion euro. As he mentioned, the 700-XNUMX million euros were expenses that the citizens paid from their own pockets and many of them were financially ruined to support their health.
He also noted that Cyprus is one of the first countries to implement a universal computer program, has a pediatrician as its personal doctor and applies direct access to the gynecologist.
The Secretary of the Federation of Cyprus Patients' Associations (OSAK) Pampos Papadopoulos stated that no one expected the implementation of the GESS but it was transformed into practice after many struggles with organized patients who believed in it, while describing the contribution of the former Minister of Health George Pamporidis as decisive, who gave tough battles for his admission. as well as the current Minister of Health Konstantinos Ioannou who is working hard for its implementation.
"Finally, Cyprus can now be proud of having a universal solidarity single insurance system, which ensures equal and non-discriminatory access to quality health services for all citizens of the country," he said.
He added that the GESS is the greatest social conquest and reform that has ever taken place in the Republic of Cyprus, while thanking the President of the Republic for his determination to implement and implement the system. He also thanked the political forces and the Parliament for the national consensus and support.
He said that at the moment it is important to maintain and safeguard this reform, in its anthropocentric course and any improvements must be based on his existing philosophy.
He added that OSAK will continue to fight for the perfection of GESS in order to meet the needs of all and to be an example to be imitated.