Public can now book state hospital appointments online

The state health services organisation (Okypy) on Wednesday launched a new service on its website allowing the public to arrange appointments online with doctors and other services at public hospitals.

The new service streamlines the process of booking an appointment by eliminating the need to call the hospital, which often meant very long waiting times and people being left on hold for several hours.

Instead, the public can now request an appointment through Okypy’s website, where it is possible to browse through all hospitals operated by the organisation.

After submitting their request, patients can expect a call within 48 hours from a hospital representative who will arrange an appointment for them.

The process is the same for all medical professionals and specialties, meaning that it is possible to book an appointment for anything from X-rays to physiotherapy.

“It will soon be possible for patients to book an online appointment directly, without the mediation of another person,” Okypy executive director Christis Loizides told Phileleftheros.

The new service is just a sample of Okypy’s efforts to upgrade its services and hospitals, he continued, saying that the goal was “for patients to be able to meet doctors and other health professionals and book their appointments in a much easier way, and much less hassle than before”.

The updated website is a “customer-centred” website that also provides useful information on Okypy’s services, Loizides added.

“This was our goal from the start,” he said. “To serve the public in a timely and correct manner.”

Okypy’s new website can be found here. The online booking service is currently only available in Greek.