Thermal medicine in Greece

Abstract

The Hellenic Thermal Medicine Academy was founded in 2015 as a non-profit health organization dedicated to the development of thermal culture in Greece among professionals of medicine and consumers. The main purpose of the Academy includes representing and promoting world hydrotherapy, shared studies, research and experience in the sector, as well as new discoveries in Thermal Medicine and finally sponsoring high quality forums for education of medical professionals in the practice of thermal medicine. Thermal Medicine is a basic segment of Health Tourism and consists of a wide range of preventive, therapeutic and cosmetic applications using natural resources of seawater (thalassotherapy) for physical health, anti-aging and wellness for patients and non-patients in facilities called MediSpas (thermal centres under medical supervision). Academy’s vision for MediSpas is to provide competence and experience for qualified treatment, prevention and rehabilitation in a clean and healthy environment. Recently in Greece, the Complimentary Medicine was established by Hellenic Ministry of Health legislation and recognized as the main sector of health services since it combines medications with thermal springs compounds according to Hippocrates’ spirit. We are working on the cross-border health procedures trying to be adopted to the European health network in order to have similar therapeutic certified protocols. We are also developing research programmes of the therapeutic elements efficacy in order to establish the Thermal Medicine as evidence-based medicine, aiming to work altogether in common programmes of preventive medicine and antiaging according to high level education and practice. To sum up, Greece is a place devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourages the renewal of mind, body and spirit, antiaging and prevention under medical supervision in the unique Hellenic climate