The press conference was also attended by Matina Pagoni, president of the governing committee of the Panhellenic Medical Association, and Giorgos Patoulis, president of the Athens Medical Association.
Georgiadis said MedWatch makes use of existing digital infrastructure and registries, allowing checks to be more targeted and automated.
He also announced a second digital tool, in the form of a mobile application, through which citizens will be able to verify a doctor’s licence, evaluate their experience and submit complaints electronically.
According to the minister, the application is already ready but requires legislative authorisation, including provisions concerning the protection of personal data. The aim is to make it available to the public in about a month.
Particular emphasis has been placed on the use of artificial intelligence to identify potential violations. According to the announcement, the platform’s AI agents will continuously search the internet for posts and advertisements that may not comply with a medical practice’s operating licence or the applicable legal framework.
Georgiadis said this would allow inspections to be initiated without a prior complaint from a citizen, as potentially problematic online content could be detected automatically by the system.
The initial implementation of MedWatch has already screened thousands of health facilities and flagged a small proportion for further investigation over possible violations.
The minister also announced the establishment of a committee at secretary-general level to examine the regulatory framework governing newer forms of medical and health-related services, including regenerative medicine, wellness and longevity.
The committee will be chaired by Pagoni and will include Patoulis, representatives of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and international experts.
‘The important thing is for Greece to do this in an organised manner, with transparency and, above all, with safety,’ Georgiadis said.
The announcements come amid criticism of the government over shortcomings in the supervision of private medical practices and the abolition of the dedicated Health and Welfare Services Inspectorate (SEYYP), widely known in Greece as the ‘health inspectors’, following Mazonakis’s death.
Responding to criticism over the effectiveness of inspections, Georgiadis said SEYYP had been incorporated into the National Transparency Authority in 2019. He also announced that discussions were under way over the creation of an auxiliary inspection mechanism within the Health Ministry.
He rejected allegations of a cover-up, arguing that medical associations conduct inspections and impose sanctions. A prosecutorial investigation has nevertheless been ordered into any potential responsibility on the part of the Athens Medical Association.
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