Restructuring the hospital sector in Greece in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency

Abstract

<p>This paper discusses the study focused on the<br />reform of Greek Hospital Sector, also known as<br />“hospital mergers”. The aim of the study was to<br />propose a new pattern of organizing hospitals<br />in groups based on the reform of emergency<br />care and the management of five main chronic<br />diseases (AMI, Stroke, Cancer, Diabetes Mellitus<br />and COPD). The proposals in general concern the<br />creation of a national network of health services<br />provided mainly by primary healthcare units and<br />the largest hospitals of the groups in each health<br />region. In the context of improving the hospital<br />sector efficiency, ways of collaborations between<br />private and public sector and expenditure<br />containment measures are presented. The<br />restructuring of the public hospital sector relied<br />on six specific criteria including the population<br />criterion, catchment area, hospital size,<br />infrastructure age, utilization of hospital facilities<br />and cost. Due to its nature, the study was exposed<br />to various factors such as the diversity of actors<br />being involved, collection and compilation of the<br />relevant data in a short term of three months, last<br />minute adjustments and the variety of audience.</p>