“Embraced” by chronic patients, according to initial data, is the new home delivery option for the expensive drugs they have been receiving to date from the pharmacies of the National Health Services Organization (EOPYY).

According to the information, requests for home delivery of High Cost Medicines (HCM) on the first day of operation of the new system, up to last night, amounted to 1,000. It should be noted that until Sunday night, the EOPYY was counting 280 requests, according to figures given in a television interview by Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Themistocleous. The platform on which the applications are made has been opened 2- 3 days before the shipments of medicines to the homes of chronic patients begin, and the more the provision is made known to the insured, the more people say they want to receive their medicines at home.

Beneficiaries of the EHS pharmacies total about 120,000 each month. An additional 19,000 insured with serious and chronic illnesses are served by EOPYY pharmacies every two months. The inconvenience these patients or their companions go through is well known as most of the time they have to wait for hours to be served, in the cold, rain, or heat. The problems in the service for the receipt of the EOPYs were highlighted most emphatically at the end of January when the EOPYY pharmacy in Alexandra Avenue did not open on time, the insured formed a queue outside, and the intervention of the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiades, was needed. Since then, the countdown for dynamic interventions began.

The 139,000 insured are potentially those who can receive the expensive drugs at home or at whatever address they choose to have them sent to. Of these insured, about 100,000 patients (72%) are located in Athens and Thessaloniki, and of these, 41% have chronic conditions, meaning that their daily lives are already burdened.

The number of medicines that will be distributed depends on the intention of the patients, i.e., how many of them want to take advantage of home delivery of medicines. It is estimated that patients with chronic diseases or even with mobility problems or those living in areas where there are no stand-alone EOPYY pharmacies will benefit significantly from the new service, as it radically changes their access to treatment and eliminates their inconvenience.

The drug distribution company with which EOPYY has contracted can transfer all drugs currently dispensed by EOPYY pharmacies. As far as cold chain preparations are concerned, they are transported in special vehicles and special packaging in the right cooling conditions. In cases of long road journeys, they can be stored in special hubs that the company has in various places around Greece (e.g., Patras). The first home delivery was made on Sunday, one day before the official launch of the new feature, to an 85-year-old woman who needed antiviral drugs against coronavirus and lives in Ano Liosia. EOPYY pharmacies continue to operate as normal for those patients who choose them for their reasons.

“A long-standing request of 120,000 patients who used to visit EOPYY pharmacies every month is finally becoming a reality. All the patient needs is the electronic prescription, the intangible consultation, and to have implemented the home delivery service electronically through the EOPYY platform. The prescriptions are checked and filled by pharmacists and the drugs are dispensed by a certified company. Thus, we are taking an important step towards upgrading health services and the quality of life of our fellow citizens who need it the most,” the Prime Minister said in a video posted on TikTok.

“The day for one of the biggest changes in the delivery of healthcare services to patients has arrived! As of today, the delivery of High Cost Medicines at home to any patient who wants it starts throughout the country. An end to the suffering of patients and their relatives in the queues of shame, either in the heat or in the cold. And our interventions will continue with our direct cooperation with private pharmacies (announcements next week). The NHS is changing and becoming better and more humane,” wrote Health Minister Adonis Georgiades in “X” yesterday.

The step-by-step process

Any patient who wishes to receive home delivery of medicines can receive the medicines dispensed by EOPYY Pharmacies at the place of their choice by filling in Taxisnet codes and AMKA in the following simple steps:

– Enter the EOPYY Central Page: www.eopyy.gov.gr.
– Select the hyperlink “Receipt of FIS”.
– The page is displayed, and the person concerned logs in via Taxisnet.
– The user enters the Taxisnet codes followed by the AMKA and AFM and selects “Confirmation”.
– He/she selects “Send at home”.
– He fills in his details in detail. Please note that the postal code of the address is entered without spaces before and in between (e.g., 15123).

The first time when fill in the contact details, the system will ask for confirmation of your email and mobile phone. Filling in all data is mandatory.

Delivery is carried out within 24-48 hours throughout the country, from major urban centers to the most remote areas. For those who find it difficult to complete the process digitally on their own, support is available either through EOPYY pharmacies or by phone at 18181.