Antwerp GP suspended for demanding an 80-euro deposit from patients wishing to make an appointment
The Order of Physicians has suspended an Antwerp GP for a week after he demanded a deposit of 80 euro from a patient that wished to make an appointment. News of the GP’s suspension first appeared in the daily 'Gazet van Antwerpen' and has since been confirmed by the professional body. The Order of Physicians says that although it is indeed the case that many people don’t turn up for their appointments, GPs may not ask for a deposit.
To ensure that patients turned up for their appointments, an Antwerp GP demanded an 80-euro deposit from them. This has resulted in him being issued with a 1-week suspension from practicing medicine by the Order of Physicians. The President of the Order’s Dutch-language section Michel Deneyer told VRT News that “This is not allowed. This makes the threshold to go to a doctor even higher for people with financial problems and there are more of them than you think”.
Dr Deneyer also points to advice issued by the Order of Physicians' National Council last year in which it said that "There is no agreement with the National Institute for Sickness and Disability Insurance (RIZIV) or any other authority that permits a medical practitioner to ask for an advance for a standard appointment. “The Order’s provincial councils can take action against this practice by imposing a disciplinary sanction."
According to the medical professional’s magazine ‘De Specialist’, a patient had filed a complaint against the doctor with the Order of Physicians’ Provincial Council. The patient had paid an advance but then wanted to cancel his appointment. The GP only wanted to refund 50 euro and kept the remaining 30 euro to cover “administrative costs”.
"Between 8% and 12% don’t turn up"
The Order of Physicians recognises that there is an issue with patients not turning up for their appointments.
"If some areas as many as between 8% and 12% of the patients don’t show up. This results in some loss of time and income for the doctor. It also means that other patients have to wait longer for an appointment. However, asking for a deposit is the wrong way to address the issue”.