The National Health System (GESY) has now become an integral part of citizens’ daily lives —seven years after its implementation, with 75% of citizens expressing optimism about the system’s future, despite any weaknesses or problems they may identify.  This picture emerges from a pan-Cypriot survey by IMR/University of Nicosia, conducted from September 8 to 14 among a sample of 1,000 GESY beneficiaries. 

One of the biggest challenges—waiting lists—appears to be improving. Nearly six in ten were able to secure an appointment in less than a month. Twenty-six percent waited between one and three months, and 15% waited more than three months, with significant variations depending on the medical specialty.

For the first time, waiting lists are not ranked as the top problem, but they are the top priority among beneficiaries’ demands for further reduction of waiting times, at 55%.

The system’s failure to cover specific tests and treatments “is cited as the most significant weakness of the General Healthcare System (GHS) by 47% of citizens, and 28% of survey participants call for strengthening public hospitals and emergency care services. 

The data from Cyprus were analyzed in conjunction with the indicators from the OECD’s international PaRIS survey, in which 19 countries and over 107,000 patients participated. In the indicator examining beneficiaries’ satisfaction with the availability of health services, Cyprus’s score reaches 75% and ranks second after Switzerland.
In fact, Cyprus’s performance is significantly higher than the average of the 19 countries, while for the reliability indicator, Cyprus scores 66% and is above the international average.

About seven in ten citizens feel confident that, when they need a health service, they will be able to receive it.

A key finding of the survey, as presented by the founder and CEO of IMR/University of Nicosia, Christina Kokkalou, at the 9th Cyprus Healthcare Conference, is that despite the positive overall picture, access remains a challenge, particularly in certain medical specialties.

See the report by Nasia Ioannou:

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