Serious lack of an evaluation system
The most shocking aspect of the case of the director of the heart surgery unit at Ippocrateio Hospital is not merely that he was able to use forged specialization certificates and go unnoticed. What is even more shocking is that the high mortality rate among the patients on which he operated did not set alarm bells ringing in the National Health System. No one seemed to notice and no inquiry was ever held. Forgery is just the tip of the iceberg in this case. A more serious and longstanding problem highlighted by the affair is the complete absence of any evaluation system for the performance of public servants in general. That is, even in the absence of any accusations of forgery, this particular «doctor» should have been removed from his post for reasons of professional inadequacy. The high mortality rates among his patients should have been reason enough alone. In Greece, however, any form of assessment appears to be sidestepped, even when this costs human lives.
