Hospital failings exposed
Health inspectors have found a catalog of shortcomings at state hospitals, including severe staff shortages, outdated equipment, expired medicine and doctors who overprescribe certain drugs, according to an annual report seen by Kathimerini. The Health and Welfare Inspectorate conducted 578 checks during 2005 which led to 47 cases being referred to a prosecutor, while another 72 resulted in disciplinary measures. After inspections at 57 state hospitals, officials said that many departments suffer from staff shortages. Inspectors said the lack of staffing at out-patient clinics in the afternoon is a key problem as it means that payments are not collected. Officials estimated that some 25,000 more personnel need to be employed so the national health service (ESY) can operate more smoothly. The government launched plans earlier this year to hire 2,000 more medical staff. Among the other problems detected during the checks was a lack of record-keeping. Officials found that the number of prescriptions for a specific drug had suddenly shot up at a clinic in an unnamed hospital in Athens. However, the lack of records meant that inspectors could not investigate the matter any further. The inspectorate said that some 290 organizations that are part of ESY issue around 9,000 tenders every year when they want to buy equipment. Officials said that the tenders are often open to corrupt practices. Inspectors also found that many hospitals did not keep proper records of the real estate that belongs to them. As a result, hospitals sometimes fail to collect rent or do not lease their property out at the best rate possible.
