Greek Hospitals Introduce Digital Trackers to Enhance Emergency Care

A groundbreaking digital tracking system is launched today at the Evangelismos Hospital’s Emergency Department, marking a significant step in modernizing Greece’s National Health System (ESY).

The system equips patients with electronic wristbands to streamline care, allowing doctors to monitor tests and treatment stages in real time. This initiative aims to reduce waiting times and improve patient experiences during emergencies.

The pilot program will expand to 14 hospitals by mid-July and to 80 hospitals nationwide by January 2026. Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, in a post on X, emphasised the system’s role in transforming the ESY, stating, “The ESY is changing and getting better.” He highlighted that the trackers will provide real-time data to address delays, inform patients about expected wait times, and guide targeted healthcare policies.

This innovation is part of a broader 10-point plan to strengthen Greece’s public healthcare system, focusing on three key areas: improving services and staffing, upgrading infrastructure, and promoting life-saving preventive care. Other measures include:

• Home Delivery of High-Cost Medications: Starting in June, the National Organization for Healthcare Services (EOPYY) will deliver expensive drugs to thousands of patients’ homes, reducing the burden of travel and wait times. A specialized courier service will handle these deliveries.
• Hospital Service Evaluations: Also in June, patients receiving discharge will evaluate hospital services through a digital questionnaire, fostering accountability and transparency.
• Mobile Health Units: By June, Mobile Health Teams (KOMY) will provide regular check-ups and care to residents of remote mountainous and island communities across Greece.
• Staff Recruitment: In 2025, 430 new healthcare and administrative staff, including 58 doctors and 121 nurses, will join emergency departments in Attica.
• Modernised Emergency Facilities: Eleven state-of-the-art emergency departments will open in major Attica hospitals this year, with four more in 2026. The KAT Hospital’s new emergency unit opens tomorrow.
• Free Surgeries in Private Clinics: Funded by the Recovery Fund, 7,000 free afternoon surgeries are underway in private clinics, with the first patients already notified via SMS. The goal is to eliminate surgical wait times exceeding four months, aligning with EU standards.
• New Trauma Centres: Sixteen new trauma centres will be established within ESY facilities nationwide.
• Preventive Health Program: Over 2 million Greeks have participated in the “Spyros Doxiadis” preventive screening program, with 363,500 referred for further tests and over 65,000 diagnosed early, significantly improving treatment outcomes.
• Obesity Action Plan: By July, a program to combat adult obesity will offer free medical assessments, monitoring, and medication for severe cases (BMI over 40) with comorbidities, alongside mandatory nutritional support.

These reforms reflect Greece’s commitment to a more efficient and patient-centered healthcare system. The digital tracker system, in particular, is expected to set a new standard for emergency care, ensuring faster, more coordinated treatment for patients across the country according to vima.com