This week the Greek government announced that it will be tackling the problem of corruption in the health care system in Greece by introducing the creation of an electronic, or e-platform to monitor the “envelope” system.
This is the first time that the “envelope” system in Greece is being addressed, Health Minister Andreas Ksanthos said at a conference, according to euractiv.com. The system is one of corruption where patients who are about to undergo surgery or spend a specific amount of time in a public hospital hand over an envelope filled with additional money to their doctors in order to receive better care.
“We must examine the causes. The system’s pathologies and delays should be taken into account but are not the main causes. It has always existed, but it was deteriorated during the economic crisis period,” the Athens new agency quoted Ksanthos as saying.
He added that the creation of an electronic anti-corruption platform will allow patients to report such incidences and that the allegations will then be investigated by the appropriate monitoring authorities.
“We believe that a new culture is needed, another style of the social health system, to convince patients that they can be offered services with dignity without seeking connections with people in charge or financial transactions,” Ksanthos said.
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