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DownloadCOUNTRY: Greece
KNOWLEDGE BROKER: Vasilis Zacharopoulos, senior expert in health care systems, Greece
SEPEN thanks the knowledge brokers for their contribution in checking and completing the country-information. SEPEN is accountable for the content of the country profiles.
| Type of information | Source | Year | Remarks |
| Table 1: Health workforce stock and replacement | OECD | 2018 | Age characteristics of the nursing stock are not reported. |
| Figure 1: Mobility level in absolute numbers | OECD | 2018 | Only immigration data for OECD countries are available. The data produced are therefore incomplete. Not all OECD-countries register the country of origin of incoming health professionals and some do not register incoming health professionals at all. Emigration data are based on immigration numbers in other OECD-countries, as emigration as such is not registered nor reported. |
| Figure 2a: Number of practicing physicians per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2018 | Figure 2a presents regional distribution of physicians. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Figure 2b: Number of practicing nurses and midwives per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2015 | Figure 2b presents regional distrubution of nursing and midwifery. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Statistic | Number | Data Year |
| Total population | 10 724 599 | 2019 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81,9 | 2018 |
Source: Eurostat
| Licensed to practice | Practising | Professionally active | |||||
| Statistic | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Data year |
| Physicians | 65 513 | 6,10 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| > Generalist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 4 390 | 0,41 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| > Specialist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 55 161 | 5,14 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Nurses | Not reported | Not reported | 36 118 | 3,37 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Midwives | Not reported | Not reported | 2 834 | 0,26 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Dentists | 13 300 | 1,24 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Pharmacists | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 10 898 | 1,02 | 2018 |
| Physiotherapists | Not reported | Not reported | 8 506 | 0,79 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
Source: OECD
Not reported
| Name | Role | Website |
| MoH-Business Intelligence System | Health system regulator
Provides data on: number of NHS health workforce by setting and specialty by setting (primary care vs. hospitals) and by status (available vs. occupied), NHS Health Centre activities (e.g. visits, immunisations) |
http://www.ermis.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/ermis/publicBodies?p_topic=8669 |
| EOPYY-National Organization for the Provision of Health Services | Planning and organisation of public health services
Provides data on: number of physicians contracted with EOPYY and number of family physicians (FP) available positions |
https://www.eopyy.gov.gr/ |
| ELSTAT-Hellenic Statistical Authority | National statistical office
Provides data on: number of health personnel (physicians, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists) by setting, region, type of setting (public vs. private). No data available for age groups. |
https://www.statistics.gr/en/home/ |
| IDIKA- e-prescription system | Provision of IT services for the social security and healthcare providers
Region, gender, age groups and type of setting (public vs. private). However, a remarkable proportion of health professionals are working in more than one setting |
http://www.idika.gr/ |
| DOATAP-Hellenic National Recognition Information System | International recognitions of professional qualifications
Number of recognitions of university or technological degrees (Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy) that were awarded by foreign Higher Education Institutions (HEI) issued annually |
http://www.doatap.gr/en/ |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Ministry of Health | Main actor responsible for the overall planning of health policies, setting priorities, allocating resources, implementing the regulations, and also proposing changes in the regulatory framework. | https://www.moh.gov.gr/ |
| Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs | Central authority responsible
for education policies and activities. Defines the required legislative framework, sets the required quality standards, as well as the development plans. |
https://www.minedu.gov.gr/ |
| National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) | Self-governing public entity, supervised by the Ministry of Health. The organisation is the sole Payer in the NHS-type system, responsible for purchasing health services (e.g. contracting with providers) and ensuring health coverage for the population. | https://www.eopyy.gov.gr/ |
| National School of Public Health | Responsible for the postgraduate training of health professionals. | http://www.esdy.edu.gr/?page=home&lang=EN |
| National Central Procurement Authority for Health | Responsible for the supervision of procurement procedures and the annual supply of products and health services. | https://www.eaadhsy.gr/ |
| General Medical CouncilPanhellenic Association of Hospital Pharmacists
Hellenic Dental Association Hellenic Regulatory Body of Nurses |
Professional bodies responsible for setting the ethical and quality standards, and also representing its members interest. | https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/eea-countries/greecehttps://www.eahp.eu/members/greece |
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| Original name | Μεταρρύθμιση της Πρωτοβάθμιας Φροντίδας Υγείας |
| Name in English | Primary Health Care Reform |
| Short description |
Law 4486/2017 established local health units (TOMYs) under the Primary Care Reform that aims to shift the focus from treatment to prevention, address the health inequalities and focus on patient-centred care. The established units are the first point of contact in the patient pathway, coordinating healthcare provision in the respective area. Continuous service provision is operated by multidisciplinary teams consisting of general practitioners/family physicians, paediatricians, nurses, health visitors and social workers in these units. Services cover prevention and health promotion, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups. |
| Publication date | 7 August 2017 |
| Link to full text | http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/pages/news/news/2017/12/greek-health-reform-opening-of-new-primary-health-care-units |
Not reported
| Original name | |
| Name in English | Physicians’ brain drain in Greece: A perspective on the reasons why and how to address it |
| Short description | No policy is reported. This study addresses the issues of health workforce mobility for physicians and investigates potential causes and solutions. |
| Publication date | August 2014 |
| Link to full text | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24794987 (Ifanti, Amalia & Argyriou, Andreas & Kalofonou, Foteini & Kalofonos, Haralabos. (2014). Physicians’ brain drain in Greece: A perspective on the reasons why and how to address it. Health Policy. 117. 10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.03.014.) |
| Original name | Trends in Medical Education and Training in Greece |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | |
| Publication date | March 2016 |
| Link to full text | https://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/OECD-Health-Workforce-Policies-2016-Doctors-Greece.pdf |
Not reported
| Original name | Μετεκπαίδευση γιατρών |
| Name in English | Continuous training of professionals |
| Short description | With regards to revalidating the licence of physicians and dentists, Law 1397/83 Article 41 sets a 100-hour requirement of training in every five years. In addition, Law 2194/94 Article 2 requires further training for physicians, dentists, pharmacists and other health professions employed in the NHS. |
| Publication date | 7 October 1983
16 March 1994 |
| Link to full text | https://www.kodiko.gr/nomologia/document_navigation/283774 |
| Original name | Εκσυγχρονισμός και μεταρρύθμιση του θεσμικού πλαισίου των ιδιωτικών κλινικών |
| Name in English | Modernization and Reform of the Institutional Framework for Private Clinics |
| Short description |
Law 4600/2019 regulates all relevant issues with regards to private clinics, such as entry (e.g. license for operation) requirements, rules of conduct, obligation of making prices publicly available, The regulation also defines requirements with regards to health professions (dentists and physiotherapists) setting, e.g. fines for practising without a license. |
| Publication date | |
| Link to full text | https://www.e-nomothesia.gr/kat-ygeia/nomos-4600-2019-phek-43a-9-3-2019.html |
| Original name | Impact of Job Satisfaction on Greek Nurses’ Health-Related Quality of Life |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | |
| Publication date | 20 August 2015 |
| Link to full text | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4682027/ |
| Name (original language) | A survey to assess job satisfaction among junior doctors in Greece |
| Name (best effort translation) | |
| Short description | |
| Publication date | 1 April 2019 |
| Link to full text | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332131009_A_survey_to_assess_job_satisfaction_among_junior_doctors_in_Greece |
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Last updated: 10 October 2020
The country fiches are produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in the country sheets are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study.
Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission’s/Executive Agency’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This website was produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this website. Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission's / Executive Agency's behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.