The pensioner did not hear the call, so he was left without an examination

Seventy-year-old Dragutin Rašović lost his right to an examination with a cardiologist, for which he had been waiting for months, because he did not hear the machine call twice and confirm that he was coming for an examination.

Rašović told "Vijesta" that on the first weekend of June, in the early morning hours, he received a call from the machine to confirm the cardiology examination scheduled for June 6, but that he did not hear the sound of the mobile phone, because he has hearing problems.

"In January 2017, I had a heart operation, so I go for check-ups every three or four months. In addition, I have a blocked aorta, and in 2018 alone I had three surgeries... Over the weekend I saw two missed calls from the machine. After that, I tried to call them, but to no avail," Rašović said.

He clarified that on Thursday, June 6, he came for an examination at the Clinical Center (KC), but was told that the doctor could not see him, because he did not confirm his arrival at the scheduled time.

"They told me that I didn't answer three calls. I complained to the protector of patients' rights, who stated that I did not confirm that I was coming for an examination, which is why I said that they protect the rights of the machine, not the patients," Rašović pointed out.

The Ministry of Health responded to "Vijesta" that 10 percent of patients could not find their way in the electronic appointment scheduling system. They said, however, that citizens who are not familiar with the new system do not have to leave a phone number to which the machine will call them to confirm or cancel the examination.

They said that, during the introduction of the electronic appointment system for specialist examinations a year ago, they found out that a large number of citizens do not come to the scheduled appointments, especially in the KC, which is why 25 to 38 percent of unrealized examinations were recorded.

They reminded that, with the support of all three mobile phone providers, they found a software solution that allows the patient to receive a voice message on the sixth, fifth and fourth day before the scheduled examination, to which he responds by pressing 0, in case he confirms his arrival for a specialist examination, i.e. by pressing number 1, in case it cancels.

"After the test phase and collected statistical data for the first 1000 calls, data was obtained according to which 43 percent of patients confirmed their appointment, five percent canceled the appointment, 43 percent did not respond to the six voice messages received, while 10 percent of patients did not succeeded in applying the service", replied the department headed by Kenan Hrapović.

The Ministry said that from that moment on, their focus was on the group of 10 percent of patients who "didn't manage, including elderly people who are not used to using new technologies:

"A part of them was invited, and in practice it was confirmed that they are members of the elderly population".

The Ministry claims that they suggested to the nurses who work in the team of the chosen doctor that the patient, who for any reason expresses the inability to use this service, is not obliged to sign the Informed Consent.

"So, in this way, the possibility is also left for those categories of patients who are not able to use this type of confirmation, that is, to cancel the examination", the ministry said. The Deputy Minister of Health, Vesna Miranović, recently announced new changes in the electronic appointment system for specialist examinations.

She said that in the coming period, the citizens will have plenty of appointments for examinations with the selected doctors, because specialists in hospitals and the Clinical Center (KC) will no longer blackout appointments in order to examine some patients out of line.

She said that the issuing of instructions without an appointment will also be abolished, while special appointments for emergency cases will be set aside for branches of medicine that require urgency - with general surgeons, ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, from seven to eight hours with a short duration of examinations.

Miranović clarified that patients, if they are waiting for an examination with a specialist in their place of residence for more than a month, will have available appointments in other hospitals. It is also a novelty that specialists in hospitals and medical centers will be able to schedule a check-up, instead of selected doctors, as well as tests necessary for the next check-up.