Adonis and the NHS: When Reform Delivers Real Results for Patients

The public acknowledgment of Andreas Drymiotis for his positive remarks on healthcare reform is more than a courteous gesture. It is a clear validation from a respected analyst that the work carried out in the Greek National Health System (ESY) during the tenure of Adonis Georgiadis produced tangible benefits for citizens.

Of particular importance is his statement that finding an appointment with a specialist doctor in Greece is now easier than in many countries abroad. At a time when public health systems across Europe are struggling with severe staff shortages and long waiting lists, this comparison is neither trivial nor accidental.

What Changed in the ESY Under Adonis Georgiadis

During his term as Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis advanced a series of structural reforms aimed not at theory, but at improving everyday patient experience:

• Digitalisation of appointment systems and improved interconnection between hospitals and clinics, significantly reducing bureaucracy.
• Introduction of afternoon surgeries, a long-overdue reform that began easing chronic surgical waiting lists.
• Strengthening Primary Healthcare, allowing hospitals to focus on serious and emergency cases rather than routine visits.
• Targeted recruitment and incentives for medical staff, especially in remote and island regions.
• Effective use of Recovery Fund resources to upgrade infrastructure, modernise equipment, and renovate hospitals.

These reforms were not implemented without resistance. Yet, as results now show, healthcare reform is ultimately judged not by slogans, but by whether citizens can access care when they need it.

From ideology to outcomes

Andreas Drymiotis’ remarks highlight a crucial truth: health policy is not a battlefield of ideology, but a test of effectiveness.

Adonis Georgiadis chose confrontation with long-standing inefficiencies, often at significant political cost. Today, however, comparisons with international healthcare systems vindicate the choice of reform over stagnation.

In a country long accustomed to hearing that “nothing ever changes in the ESY,” the fact that change is happening—and delivering results is no small achievement. It is policy with substance, not rhetoric.

Ευχαριστώ θερμά τον κ. Ανδρέα Δρυμιώτη για όσα καλά είπε για την δουλειά μας για την βελτίωση του ΕΣΥ επί θητείας μου. Αυτό που λέει για την ευκολία με την οποία βρίσκεις πλέον ραντεβού με ειδικευμένο ιατρό σε μας σε σχέση με το εξωτερικό είναι απολύτως αληθές:… pic.twitter.com/eNvmGRTjKa

— Άδωνις Γεωργιάδης (@AdonisGeorgiadi) December 26, 2025

Source: pagenews.gr