Moreover the system recorded 135,631 visits to specialized doctors without referral and according to data, these visits were conducted by beneficiaries of the system.

Specifically, most referral were intended for psychiatrists, then cardiologists, neurologists and orthopedic doctors.

Also:

4,939 referrals were for rheumatology

4,781 referrals were for nephrology

4,531 referrals were for pulmonology

3,992 referrals were for oncology (pathological)

It is also interesting to noted that even though the time period of this analysis covers less than 6 weeks since inpatient hospitalization was included in the National Health System the following referrals for surgeries had been recorded:

1,740 referrals for general surgery

682 referrals for neurosurgery

73 referrals for child surgery

507 referrals for plastic surgery

3,350 referrals for inpatient hospitalization by GPs.

Source: In-Cyprus