The State Health Services Agency is pointing the finger at the private hospital that performed the surgeries on the patient, is directed by the State Health Services Organization, which is responding to DISY MP Giorgos Pamboridis, who claimed on social media that the private clinic and Nicosia General Hospital “turned away” the woman who was experiencing postoperative complications, under the pretext of a lack of beds.
SEE ALSO: Pamporidis’s Complaint: “They turned away a patient with postoperative complications under the pretext of a lack of beds”
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In a written statement, OKYPY clarifies that “Public hospitals, and in particular Nicosia General Hospital—the only tertiary-care hospital within the General Healthcare System (GESY)— do not refuse to provide the necessary care in any case, regardless of its complexity or severity.”
“The Organization’s mission is to provide timely and effective health care to those who need it, with safety and human life as top priorities.
The Organization emphasizes that “the private sector’s referral of cases involving postoperative or other complications to public hospitals is a common occurrence.”
“Notably, this past week alone, two patients with complications were transferred from a private hospital within the GESY to Limassol General Hospital, where they were admitted and are receiving the necessary care.”
As explained, “this specific case involves a patient who had undergone a series of surgeries at a private clinic and subsequently developed serious postoperative complications, as a result of which she was admitted to the Emergency Department of Nicosia General Hospital.”
“The specialists at Nicosia General Hospital never refused to provide the necessary medical care. During the evaluation of the incident, it was noted that, provided it was medically feasible and safe, continuing the patient’s care under the supervision of the clinic and the medical team that had performed the surgeries was the appropriate choice in terms of continuity of care, given their direct knowledge of her medical history and previous surgeries.”
The incident was discussed yesterday during a teleconference attended by the physicians involved from Nicosia General Hospital, representatives of the private clinic, and representatives of the Health Insurance Organization.
“OKYPY reiterated its position that a clinic that undertakes and performs specific procedures must have the appropriate infrastructure, staffing, and the capacity to safely manage the cases it undertakes and any complications that may reasonably arise from the services provided, in accordance with the requirements and quality and safety standards governing the provision of inpatient care within the General Healthcare System (GHS).”
At the same time, OKYPY made it absolutely clear that, if the private hospital were genuinely unable to provide the required care and the patient’s condition required treatment at Nicosia General Hospital, the case would be taken over, as is indeed the case every day with serious and complex cases referred to public hospitals.
“It should be noted that physicians at public hospitals systematically assist in the management of complex cases that arise in the private sector. For example, infectious disease specialists from public hospitals are available 24 hours a day to private hospitals when their scientific assistance is required.”
According to the Organization, “the broader issue that arises concerns the conditions under which specialized services are provided by hospitals within the National Health System (GESY).”
“The question that arises is: under what conditions do hospitals operate within the GESY, and how is it possible for a Category A1 hospital to perform surgeries, but be unable to manage the complications that may arise from them?”
Public hospitals, OKYPY notes, are the safety net and the cornerstone of the health care system and will continue to stand by every patient who needs their care, guided by safety, quality of care, and the protection of human life.
