One-Stop System to Book All Hospital Appointments in Greece

Starting October 1, Greece is rolling out a new digital system that will centralize all hospital appointments into one platform, aiming to simplify access to primary healthcare and reduce waiting times for patients.

Until now, booking a medical appointment often meant calling individual hospitals to see if there is availability. Under the new system, patients will be able to log into a single online portal or dial a dedicated phone line (1566) to view and book all available appointments across hospitals nationwide.

According to the Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistocleous, the reform brings two major changes: a more user-friendly interface and a dramatic increase in appointment slots. More than one million additional appointments are expected to be added in the coming months.

The process will resemble Greece’s COVID-19 vaccination booking system. Patients will enter the specialty they need and their location, then see a list of available options — for example, an endocrinologist appointment at different hospitals — and choose what best suits them.

For those less familiar with digital tools, the option to call 1566 will be available , according to the Deputy Minister. This ensures that elderly patients and people who find an online environment hard to naviagte can still benefit from the simplified system.

By the end of the year, all hospital appointments are expected to be available through this unified gateway. Each booking will be linked to a patient’s national health ID, reducing errors and ensuring accurate records. Patients will also be able to check expected waiting times for surgery for each hospital clinic, making the process more transparent.

Beyond scheduling, Greece is also attempting to strengthen hospital evaluation through patient feedback surveys. Themistocleous stressed that even small issues raised by patients can help improve the healthcare system. “A health system is a living organism,” he said. “Negative feedback helps us become better, so that the next patient has a better experience.”

With a single point of entry, more appointments, and closer monitoring of hospitals, Greek authorities hope the new system will significantly ease access to care and cut down on years-long waits that some patients previously faced for basic procedures.

Source: tovima.com