Healthcare ethics scrutinized as concerns rise over 'dual practice' doctors

Recent speculations have emerged regarding doctors affiliated with the General Healthcare System (GESY), primarily in surgical specialties, who are reportedly providing services in hospitals and clinics outside of the GESY framework.

According to a report by Phile News, insiders in the healthcare sector have been engaging in discussions about this practice, and sporadic reports have been submitted to the Health Insurance Organization. However, according to Athos Tsinontidis, the Deputy Director General of the organization, despite their efforts, no specific complaints against individual doctors have been lodged.

Christodoulos Kaisis, the Commissioner for Supervision of GESY, has also been monitoring these reports closely. He has included this issue in a questionnaire addressing the scope of actions doctors within the GESY system are permitted to take.

"In GESY, we've received information about doctors who are contracted with the organization, meaning they are part of the GESY network, yet they also provide services outside the GESY in hospitals and clinics," said Kaisis. "If that is the case, it is undoubtedly illegal. However, we've asked those who have brought this to our attention in multiple instances to provide us with the names of specific doctors involved. Without this information, we cannot take action, unless we decide to monitor non-GESY medical centers around the clock to identify which doctors are practicing there."

Kaisis continued, "Even if we were to identify these doctors, it would still be difficult to prove that they are offering paid services. To substantiate this, we need testimonies from patients who have undergone surgery by these doctors in non-GESY facilities and paid for their services. We have no reason to doubt the sources of this information, but we require concrete evidence."

Christodoulos Kaisis, the Commissioner for Oversight of GESY, confirmed that his office has received some reports on this matter. However, he emphasized that no official complaints have been filed. "I have sent a questionnaire to GESY for months now, inquiring about the permissible actions of GESY doctors, and I am awaiting their responses."

Unconfirmed information circulating among healthcare professionals suggests that certain doctors are participating in surgical procedures outside the GESY system and receiving payments for their services outside of its framework. While several names have been informally discussed, Mr. Tsinontidis recalled that "very recently, when the Health Insurance Organization received specific information about public sector doctors performing surgeries in hospitals not affiliated with GESY, billing the procedures under their colleagues' names, we took appropriate actions."

This situation raises questions about the need for clear guidelines and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that doctors within the GESY system adhere to the rules and regulations governing their professional practice. The potential illegal dual practice of GESY doctors highlights the importance of accountability and transparency within the healthcare sector.