The Joint Ministerial Decision was signed on Tuesday for the afternoon surgeries at the NHS.

The Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis, the Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistokleous and the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Athanasios Petralias, signed a Joint Ministerial Decision on surgical operations and other invasive operations that are carried out beyond the regular operating hours of the National Health System hospitals.

The gazette for the afternoon surgeries

The Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, said:

“With a plan and vision for the healthcare transition to the Health of tomorrow, we are introducing the institution of afternoon surgeries with the aim, on the one hand, to reduce the waiting lists of patients waiting to be operated on and on the other hand to increase the incomes of doctors and nurses who they work in the National Health System. From now on, thousands of patients who have been waiting for months to years to be operated on, will be able to find a way out in the afternoon surgeries at a cost much lower than a private clinic. I strongly believe in this measure and believe that it will be immediately “embraced” by both hospital staff and patients. We continue steadfastly in the reforms for a National Health System worthy of the expectations of the Greek citizens”.

The Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Themistokleous, stated:

“Afternoon surgeries, a system that is successfully implemented in all European health systems, aim to help reduce waiting times and increase the salaries of NHS staff. With transparency and control, ensuring the smooth operation of regular surgeries, we give an additional option to our fellow citizens by making the most of the possibilities of the National Health Service. Our goal is to serve immediately and efficiently as many of our fellow citizens as possible by receiving high quality services. The financing of 60 million euros from the Recovery and Resilience Fund for the realization of over 50,000 surgeries that have been waiting for months, as well as the Single Digital List of Surgeries are substantial steps in this direction.”

According to the KYA, the afternoon surgeries concern cases that require a stay in the hospital for more than one day. Surgeries and other invasive procedures outside regular hours, they cannot be carried out after 22.00.

The cost of hospitalizing a patient, who undergoes surgery or other invasive procedure in the operation of hospitals beyond regular hours, is compensated based on the Hospital Services Costing System (SyKNY).

Fees and categories of interventions

As the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Health had announced in a press conference, the operations are separated in six categories depending on their gravity and for each category, a certain amount is determined that the citizens will pay. For a very minor operation the total amount for the patient amounts to 300 euros, for a minor operation to 500 euros, for a medium operation to 900 euros, for a major operation to 1,200 euros, for a major operation to 1,600 euros and for an extremely heavy operation to 2,000 euros.

The prescribed fees, concerning surgeons A’, are graded as follows:

-At 100% when it comes to Coordinating Directors/Teachers.
-At a rate of 90% when it comes to Directors/Assistant Professors.
-At a rate of 85% when it comes to Curators/Assistant Professors.
– The paramedic, nursing and other staff who are necessary for the operation of the surgeries, beyond the regular hours, are paid fifteen (15.00) euros each, per hour of employment after the regular hours.

The operation control is carried out on a daily basis by the administrators of the hospitals and on a monthly basis by the administrators of the relevant Health Regions (MPH).

The operation concerns all days, excluding the hospitals of the Region of Attica and the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, in which it cannot be carried out during their general duty days.