PAGNI: Reactions to Pathologists' Reassignment to Rethymno

Strong reactions were caused by the decision of the 7th Health Region’s administration to transfer specialized pathologists from the University General Hospital of Heraklion to cover on-call shifts at Rethymno General Hospital in August. The PAGNI Employees Union protested both the measure itself and its implementation method, with an announcement published on Wednesday, August 12.

According to the union, one attending physician received transfer orders just three days before his on-call date. The time, as argued, allows neither necessary scheduling nor rescheduling of the clinic’s program from which the doctor is absent for 24 hours. Such transfers also involve approximately 80 kilometers’ driving each way before and after an on-call shift.

The union frames the issue within summer pressure. As stressed, attendance at the Emergency Department and urgent hospitalizations have increased due to tourist traffic, while personnel concurrently attempts to take regular leave, which in many cases has already been postponed. PAGNI receives transfers from understaffed hospitals in Rethymno, Chania, and especially Lasithi, and serves needs of islands in the Cyclades and Dodecanese. In Siteia, Ierapetra, and Neapoli only one pathologist serves per hospital, automatically diverting cases to Heraklion when the sole doctor is absent or insufficient. PAGNI thus functions as a reference hospital for the entire island and for part of the island territory in the Aegean.

Occupancy of PAGNI’s Internal Medicine Clinic reaches or exceeds 100% most days of the year, with patients accommodated in other clinics. As precedent, the union cites resignations of three neurologists from the hospital following similar transfer orders for shifts at Rethymno General Hospital, a development that ultimately worsened the problem.

From Rethymno’s side, the hospital has two pathologists who do not cover the monthly on-call schedule even with the rheumatologist’s support. Transfers from Heraklion have been occurring for nearly two years, meaning they have ceased to be an emergency measure and become a standing practice for schedule coverage.

The stated demands are immediate recall of the orders, termination of forced transfers, and full staffing of public hospitals. On the same wavelength positioned the Athens Medical Association. By the time of publication, there had been no public response from the 7th Health Region. For more details see the controversy at Venizelion Hospital and the Heraklion page Heraklion.