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On Monday, September 25, 2023, Ygia Polyclinic officially became part of the General Health System, offering inpatient care and a First Aid Department. This development was confirmed by Andreas Papakonstantinou, the director of the health insurance organization (OAU), in an interview with CNA. Additionally, he announced that starting from October 1st, the First Aid services at Apollonios Hospital in Nicosia will also be integrated into the General Health System.
Papakonstantinou emphasized that this move aims to introduce healthy competition between public and private TAEP services within GHS, ultimately providing patients with more choices and reducing long waiting times.
Regarding potential future agreements, Papakonstantinou mentioned ongoing discussions with "Evangelismos" Private Hospital in Paphos, with the goal of establishing a private TAEP in that region. However, he clarified that these discussions are in their early stages, and an agreement has not been reached yet.
Concerning the possibility of a private TAEP in Famagusta, Papakonstantinou stated that there are currently no private initiatives for such a service. In Larnaca, there are initial discussions with the Private Clinic "Agios Raphael," which will be further explored.
When asked about the timeline for more options, Papakonstantinou indicated that no new developments are expected until the end of the year.
Papakonstantinou expressed confidence in the achievement of GHS's objectives related to private hospital TAEP services, except for Paphos, which remains under discussion. He emphasized the importance of allowing Apollonion and health TAEP services to function and assessing their performance before making further decisions.
Regarding the infrastructure of Apollonion Hospital, Papakonstantinou noted that significant improvements have been made, including the creation of a new department. He anticipated that congestion at Nicosia General Hospital would decrease, resulting in a substantial upgrade in healthcare services.
In the event of overcrowding at Apollonion Hospital's First Aid department, Papakonstantinou assured that the situation would be closely monitored, and appropriate measures would be taken. He believed that offering two quality options would benefit patients and reduce congestion in the public sector.
Papakonstantinou explained that, based on the agreement with private TAEP services, they would handle all incidents they can manage. However, for certain cases like trauma, patients should still be taken to Nicosia General Hospital. Cooperation between hospitals, despite competition, would ensure efficient patient care.
Regarding First Aid ambulances, Papakonstantinou clarified that they should transport patients to the nearest TAEP for treatment. If a conscious patient is medically stable, they have the right to choose between a public or private TAEP within GHS. However, if the patient is unconscious, they should be taken to the nearest facility.
Papakonstantinou also mentioned that initial patient evaluations of hospitals upon discharge have yielded a favorable overall score of 9 out of 10 for inpatient care. Patients receive an email questionnaire, covering aspects like cleanliness and staff behavior. Detailed results will be available soon.
