The General Health System (GeSY) marks six years of operation on 1 June 2025, having surpassed one million registered beneficiaries and recorded over 21 million visits to personal doctors and an equal number to specialists.
The current statistics also include more than 3.6 million visits to radiology centres, over 17 million visits to laboratories, more than 42 million visits to pharmacies, over 1.3 million visits to dentists, and more than 360,000 surgical procedures.
In a press release marking the occasion, the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) reiterated its unwavering commitment to providing universal, equal, and uninterrupted access to high-quality healthcare services for all citizens. The HIO emphasised its primary aim remains the ongoing enrichment of services offered and their quality upgrade, while also reinforcing the financial sustainability of the System.
According to the HIO, significant steps were taken over the past year to improve quality, monitoring and oversight, system sustainability, legislative framework, organisational staffing, digital acceleration and automation, and the cultivation of a culture of rational service use through awareness campaigns.
Among other developments, the third actuarial study by the ILO was completed, confirming the financial sustainability of the GeSY Fund until 2032. Additionally, 500,000 sample-based claim checks and on-site inspections were carried out, with over 80,000 claims reconciled, totalling more than €20 million.
As a result of these audits, fines totalling €235,000 were imposed on over 100 providers, with contracts terminated for non-compliant providers. A quality audit was also completed on 15,000 referrals from personal to specialist doctors in collaboration with the University of Cyprus.
Furthermore, the medicines list was updated to include protocols for 50 innovative treatments across 20 conditions, and 130 outpatient medications. Quality criteria and performance indicators were introduced for Personal and Specialist Doctors, hospitals, A&E departments, radiology centres, and others. New treatment protocols were promoted, while referral quality evaluation was strengthened. A long-term referral index was launched and referrals were categorised into urgent and routine. From 1 January 2025, the HIO also took over the management of named-patient drug requests.
In addition, the Organisation announced it will assume responsibility for patient missions abroad starting 1 October 2025. It also began implementing the ESR-iGuide clinical decision support tool for imaging referrals, in cooperation with the European Society of Radiology. Clinical guidelines were also applied in collaboration with NICE, the Cyprus Medical Association, and other local scientific and professional bodies.
Moreover, HIO has begun upgrading its data analytics systems, and in partnership with the Ministry of Health, developed patient satisfaction questionnaires to be sent following use of GeSY services – covering Personal and Specialist Doctors and other health professionals. Communication efforts were also intensified to better inform beneficiaries and providers. The Patient Guide website was completed to provide comprehensive information for the public, particularly those with chronic conditions.
Marking the six-year anniversary, HIO President Stavros Michail stated that “for six years now, the GeSY has daily upheld the values on which it was built – social solidarity, justice, and equal access,” adding that the Organisation “continues to work with dedication, collectively and methodically, to ensure the financial sustainability of the GeSY and lifelong, unhindered access to high-quality healthcare services for all citizens, without discrimination.”
HIO Director General Iphigenia Kamitsi added that the Organisation “continues to implement its strategic plan consistently, focusing on enhancing the quality of healthcare services, improving access to specialised care, ensuring financial sustainability, developing effective control and transparency mechanisms, supporting the ongoing training of providers, promoting digital innovation, and fostering a culture of responsible use of services.” She concluded that “six years after implementation, the System is evolving, strengthening, and moving forward – always with the individual and their needs at the centre.”
Also read: Christodoulides meets Holguín, urges progress on Cyprus talks
Source: CNA
