Newsroom
The Cyprus Radiological Society (CRS) has strongly condemned the Health Insurance Organization (HIO)'s decision to allow "other doctors" to conduct radiological examinations starting January 2025, effectively replacing radiologists. In a statement, the CRS urged the HIO President and Board members to reconsider this decision during their upcoming meeting on January 9th.
The CRS proposed a six-month grace period before January 2026 for radiological centers to hire qualified radiologists. They argued that "it is evident that centers which have not yet complied will never do so, as they have already indicated."
The CRS further emphasized that the HIO should immediately terminate contracts with non-compliant centers, a measure that should have been implemented long ago. The statement highlighted that the contract explicitly stipulates "a doctor specializing in radiology," as mandated by the General Healthcare System (GHS) legislation regarding specialist physicians.
The announcement underscored that the HIO Board's December 19th decision was based on misleading proposals that were either misrepresented or inaccurately conveyed, with the CRS's name even being used inappropriately.
The CRS also refuted claims of a radiologist shortage, stating that the 184 registered radiologists are sufficient to meet current demand.
Moreover, the statement emphasized the absolute necessity of a radiologist's physical presence during CT and MRI scans. In contrast, the presence of "other doctors" is deemed unnecessary for these procedures.
"The CRS demands the immediate reversal of this decision and pledges to safeguard citizens by ensuring quality through the strict adherence to European guidelines," the announcement concluded.
