27.02.2025 10:20
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu evaluated the reactions of some family physicians regarding the Family Medicine Performance and Payment Regulation. He stated, "80% of our family physicians did not participate in this practice and the work stoppage; they did not believe in the disinformation."
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu commented on the deaths caused by counterfeit alcohol poisoning in Istanbul and Ankara, stating, "I believe that whoever does this has not taken a lesson from humanity. This situation is, by custom, akin to murder."
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu participated in the Health Journalism Training Program organized to contribute to the development of health journalism and strengthen the public's access to accurate health information at the ministry building. Speaking here, Memişoğlu expressed that family medicine is one of the most important steps in health services, stating, "We have imposed the obligation on family physicians to carry the health responsibility for their own populations in terms of legislation. We did not cut their salaries for this. If their population gets sick less than in the previous period, or requires less medication, we provided an additional incentive payment. Currently, we have diagnosed the chronic diseases of 1.5 million of our citizens thanks to family physicians, and we have managed to control and monitor these conditions before they progress into more serious illnesses."
"WE HAVE REDUCED OUR APPOINTMENT WAITING RATES BY 60%"
Emphasizing their efforts to highlight Healthy Life Centers, Memişoğlu stated, "Currently, there are nearly 300 Healthy Life Centers in Turkey. They provide services to all people there, from dietitians to physiotherapists, dentists to sociologists, and child development specialists, completely free of charge. Cancer screenings; from breast cancer to cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer, all can be screened for free in our infrastructure. And, in fact, we are also coordinating these with our hospitals. Today, when you go to a family physician, if you have a health-related need, we have made it possible to get an appointment from the hospital for your own population at the second and third levels. We are also in the process of ensuring communication between these services. Please know that our primary goal is preventive medicine. We have reduced our appointment waiting rates by 60%."
"ONE OF OUR STUDIES IS RELATED TO THE PAYMENT SYSTEM"
Recalling the legislative changes regarding private hospitals, Minister Memişoğlu stated, "We are revising our outpatient diagnosis and treatment regulations. The definition of health professionals was made about 12 years ago. We are also working on regulations regarding how they will work specifically. That is, whether they are physiotherapists, dietitians, or psychologists, we are working on a regulatory framework for how they will provide health services. One of our biggest projects is, hopefully, we will work together with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on payment systems," he expressed.
After his statements, Memişoğlu answered questions from the press.
"WITH THE NEW REGULATION, WE WILL ENSURE MUCH BETTER CONTROL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR AESTHETIC PROCEDURES"
In response to a journalist's question about the status of the new regulation prepared for medical aesthetic procedures, Memişoğlu said, "What physicians can do is outlined in our training curricula, and we also have a Specialty Board related to specialty training. They are defining the training curricula for specialists and what they can do. In this regulation related to aesthetics, we are doing this; apart from certain branches, only a few certified groups of physicians were allowed to perform these procedures. What are they? Applications like Botox. Of course, advanced procedures that require expertise will be performed by the relevant specialists, but we are working on a system where simple procedures can be certified as they were in the past. There are experts from universities, dentistry, and our field in the Specialty Board. This is a board that organizes all specialty training related to health. If the relevant branch is told, 'Okay, you can perform this,' they will be able to do so. We will create certification programs for these simple, non-specialized procedures in collaboration with relevant associations and experts. If you give this initiative to a small group, underground practices increase, and control mechanisms break down. Therefore, we will bring this under control and ensure much better oversight of unauthorized individuals performing these procedures," he replied.
"80% OF OUR FAMILY PHYSICIANS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE LAST STRIKE"
In response to a journalist's question about some family physicians conducting a strike on March 14, Medical Day, following the implementation of the Family Medicine Performance and Payment Regulation, Minister Memişoğlu stated, "In the last strike, 80% of our family physicians did not participate in this action and did not believe in the disinformation. Of course, we will be criticized, and some will react. We are trying to ensure that physicians do not react, but I want to send this message to our physicians who truly embrace the medical profession; we know that every physician who practices medicine wholeheartedly and possesses the ethical values of this profession is very valuable, and we support them. I especially want to emphasize that for me, the medical profession is a very valuable group."
"THIS SITUATION IS, BY CUSTOM, AKIN TO MURDER"
Responding to a question about the control of the ethyl alcohol used in the production of medicines in pharmacies related to deaths caused by counterfeit alcohol in Istanbul and Ankara, Memişoğlu stated, "Not only in pharmacies but also in drug depots and production centers, it is already present in certain amounts. I believe that whoever does this has not taken a lesson from humanity. One wonders how a source of income that threatens a person's life could benefit them. This situation is, by custom, akin to murder."