Life-threatening treatment-abroad cases decided in 42 minutes, HIO says

Local ghshealthhiopatientsTop Newstravel Life-threatening treatment-abroad cases decided in 42 minutes, HIO says Apostoles Exwteriko Relevant News Attorney general rejects bid to halt Paphos toddler death case 17 September 2026 Life-threatening treatment-abroad cases decided in 42 minutes, HIO says 17 September 2026 No hunter complaints of activist harassment exist, BirdLife Cyprus says 17 September 2026 Marilena Panayi 17 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus’s Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) has approved 889 of the 1,234 requests it received to send patients abroad for treatment since taking over the programme in October 2025, a 72% approval rate. It decides life-threatening cases in an average of 42 minutes, HIO director Monika Kyriakou told the parliamentary Health Committee. For urgent cases, a decision is reached within one day on average, and for normal cases within six days, she said. Once a request is approved, the time needed for the patient to actually leave for treatment abroad averages one day for life-threatening cases, four days for urgent cases and 22 days for normal cases. Those figures stay within the HIO’s own targets: up to 48 hours for life-threatening cases, seven days for urgent cases and 30 days for normal cases. Requests involving an immediate threat to a patient’s life are submitted and reviewed through a 24-hour phone line, staffed by an on-duty officer and a supervisor, so that a decision can be made immediately and transfer procedures can begin without delay. All requests are submitted electronically by GHS doctors, who assign each case to one of three severity categories. The HIO said this initial classification is not final: its own experts review the data and can change a case’s priority if they find it was not correctly classified. Kyriakou acknowledged that cases of misclassification by doctors have been identified, and said these are re-evaluated by the Organisation. Since October 2025, 657 patients have travelled or remain abroad for treatment. The HIO noted that the number of approved requests does not match the number of patients, since the same patient may need an extension of treatment or additional services, generating more than one approved request. A request may be rejected when the treatment in question is available in Cyprus and sending the patient abroad is not considered medically necessary, or when the doctor has not filled in the application correctly, Kyriakou said, adding that accurate and complete data entry is an essential part of the process. The HIO’s goal from the outset, Kyriakou said, has been equal treatment for all patients. Before taking over the programme, the Organisation studied the Health Ministry’s previous process and drew up new internal regulations and a unified way of managing cases. When a patient is already abroad and needs an extension or additional treatment, the hospital itself can submit a request to the HIO. If the original referral was approved by the Health Ministry, the Organisation retrieves the patient’s previous file and puts it before its experts, who then examine whether the new service is a continuation of the treatment already approved or a different need that must be assessed from scratch. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Attorney general rejects bid to halt Paphos toddler death case No hunter complaints of activist harassment exist, BirdLife Cyprus says Home for Cooperation marks International Day of Peace with talks, walk and music Infrastructure exists, political will is missing, Christodoulides says ahead of Erhürman meeting Yellow weather warning as storms set to hit Cyprus tonight MEPs vote for stronger EU action on gender inequalities in health Larnaca CID begins taking statements in plasmapheresis probe Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.