patient rights final v.3

Patient Rights in Greece

Cancer Patient Rights Advocacy ProgramSociety of Volunteers Against Cancer

AgaliaZOKathi Apostolidis ECPC Masterclass-Munich-October 2009

Kathi Apostolidis ECPC Masterclass-Munich-October 2009


Code Articles corresponding to Patient Rights -Art. 47-L. 2071/1992

Difficulty to get 2nd opinionVery long waiting times for medical appointments & operationsLack of complete & accurate information about their conditionConcentration of oncology hospitals in big citiesDilemma about how to select the best hospital or diagnostic center as their performance is not ratedLack of readily available information about specialized oncology hospitals and clinics, about doctors’ registries, social insurance coverage of healthcare expenses, etc.Scarcity of radiotherapy clinics resulting in long waiting lists pushing patients to private onesLack of legislation protecting patients from malpracticePatients are not formally involved in health policy formulation



QUESTIONS• Health law on Patient Rights • Patient organisations involved in decision

making • No fault malpractice insurance • Right to second opinion • Access to own medical record • Register of legitimate doctors • Web or 24/7telephone healthcare information• Cross-border care seeking• Provider catalogue with quality ranking• Health on Patient Rights

Rating

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Our Vision for all cancer patients to receive state of the art medical treatment and sound health care servicesto be treated with respect of their personality, to be treated with respect and enforcement of the legally established patient rightsto be actively involved in the decision making process concerning their life, their health, their treatment & their healthcareto participate at national & European level in the formulation of health policies

Our MissionTo raise awareness about the civil rights recognized by the Constitution and Greek legislation for citizens as users of healthcare services To intervene to healthcare stakeholders for the enforcement of cancer patient rightsTo empower cancer patients for the individual advocacy of their rightsTo advocate for cancer patients involvement in healthcare policy formulation & the improvement of healthcare services



Advocacy Activities in 2008-2009Εxtension of the administration & social insurance coverage of the vaccine against cervical cancer to women of the age group 16-25Participation in the launching of the European Action against CancerParticipation in the ECPC campaign to raise awareness about cancer among candidate and new MEPs & request their participation in MACParticipation in the celebration of the European Patient Rights Day Participation in the consultation of DGSANCO on the priorities of the Annual Action Plan 2009 of the Health Program 2008-2013

Advocacy Activities in 2008-2009

Launching of a dedicated website www.patientrights.grPublication of the Program brochuresNational distribution of the Program brochure on the occasion of the European Patient Rights Day Participation in the celebration of the European Patient Rights DayTranslation, publication & distribution of the Greek version of the European Charter of Patient Rights


Our Plans for 2010Conduct a survey about the understanding & practice of patient rights in GreeceAdvocate with cause to pertinent stakeholders about small & big issues cancer patients are faced withActively pursue cancer patient participation in healthcare policy decisionsOrganise awareness & information campaigns about cancer patient rights & their enforcementFollow closely healthcare & cancer developments at EU level affecting national healthcare policies



Our Plans for 2010Start-up of a patient rights helpline offering patient rights & healthcare benefits information to cancer patients & their carersComplete the construction of our dedicated bilingual website www.patientrights.grOffer patient rights empowerment & advocacy assistance to cancer patientsNetwork with national and European organisations with similar objectives for the exchange of best practices

Thank you for listening

Your questions are most welcome


Nothing for us, without us

patient rights final v.3

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