Health ministry redesigning primary healthcare services in response to pandemic

The Ministry of Health on Friday said that it is redesigning public primary healthcare services to strengthen their role in addressing the coronavirus pandemic and provide better services to citizens.

The action plan includes 24-hour health centres exclusively for COVID-19 patients, as well as 24-hour health centres that will treat patients with chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, the structures of the primary health care network will operate throughout Greece and provide the necessary primary healthcare services to all citizens. In addition, the network of physicians and laboratories affiliated with EOPYY will also provides health services.

Apart from the above, a network of health professsionals will be set up to communicate with citizens, especially the chronically ill and vulnerable groups at home, providing counseling, guidance and support to them and their families.

An Electronic Register will be created to monitor patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by their attending physicians and to ensure ongoing care for these patients.

A group of doctors will be set up to quickly visit patients at home for examination.

Health centres will work with municipalities to empower the public and to provide services to older people living alone, as well as vulnerable groups in need. A phone support service will be immediately launched.

Μoreover, under new legislation, all public hospitals will be free to work with private doctors and specialists, including pathologists, infectious diseases experts, general practitioners, ear, nose and throat specialists, paediatricians, anaesthesiologists and pulmonologists.