Changing doctors at GESY. When can I register with another doctor?

Changing your GESY doctor is generally possible after 12 months from registering with your current GP. The deadline is calculated from the date of registration on their list, not from the last visit or the beginning of the calendar year.

Before changing, you should find a participating doctor and make sure they're accepting new patients. When registering, you should also provide a reason for the change. There are exceptions to the 12-month rule, including for young children.

Changing a doctor at GESY - how to count 12 months?

A personal physician, referred to in the system as a Personal Doctor, is the primary point of contact for patients with GESY. They provide patient care and, when appropriate, refer patients to specialists, for tests, and for other services.

If we want to choose another doctor, we normally have to wait until one year has passed since being added to the current list. For example, someone registered on November 20, 2025, will meet this requirement on November 20, 2026.

This does not mean that you can freely change your doctor multiple times a year. After a subsequent registration, the period is counted from the date of the new registration, unless an exception applies.

How do I register with a new doctor?

Applications can be submitted through the GESY Beneficiary Portal. After searching for and selecting a doctor, complete the registration process and indicate the reason for the change.

The second option is to contact the new practice and register through a doctor. In this case, the doctor enters the patient's reason into the system.

After completing the new registration, the previous doctor receives information about the patient being removed from his/her list and the reason for the change.

Children under two years of age have different rules

For children under their second birthday, the standard requirement to stay with the same doctor for 12 months does not apply.

However, this shouldn't be automatically equated with the ability to change pediatricians without any restrictions. GESY's official responses are inconsistent on this point: some state there are no restrictions, while the detailed Greek response distinguishes between children under three months of age and older infants and children up to two years of age.

This detailed information indicates the possibility of any change before the age of three months and a change every three months in the next age group. Before transferring your child, it is worth confirming the date directly with GESY or at the new office. There is an exemption from the general 12-month rule.

There are also other exceptions

Separate situations include the termination of a doctor’s contract with the system organizer and the automatic assignment of a patient to a new doctor.

Special rules are also in place for teenagers aged 16–18 who are transitioning from a pediatric to an adult doctor. In such cases, the possibility of transitioning should not be assessed solely based on the standard one-year timeframe.

When choosing a new doctor, it's also worth asking about office hours, appointment scheduling, and contact information for ongoing issues. Simply finding a name in a search engine doesn't confirm eligibility for admission.