A very interesting conference on Health Care (In Greece) took place On Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd Feb 2014. It was a very rewarding get together of very interesting people from Greece and abroad; the information presented and exchanged was refreshingly pertinent as well... the programme says it all.
The conference was conceived and largely organized by Heathcare Cybernetics' (hCc) CEO, Dr C Constantinides.
The implementation and operational support came from Zita Congress
Dinos Constantinides who, as his name does not indicate, is South African (his Greek language skills are perfect by the way) is the EMEA pioneer on this subject.
Not surprising that he succeeded in bringing together an impressive roster of speakers...
A few quick pointers, gleamed from this get-together:
Health tourism (HT) is a new business - or, should we say, it is only just been recognised as an Industry in and of itself. It is growing, but not vertiginously; Germany is the leader in Europe and grosses 0.9 bill from HT. Singapore is doing well grossing ~0.5bill.
Few countries are working seriously in branding themselves as Health Tourism (HT) destinations; nor surprisingly, countries that are known to offer medically advanced services are leading at the moment: Germany, Singapore.... But they are not alone -- as others are investing and catching up.
You have to brand your country in order to become a HT destination, slowly and after a gestation period.
Greece is, at present nowhere near discovering its own HT "personality", branding.
Interestingly enough, mythology has a God of medicine and, of course, Hippocrates was Greek...
In other words, one of the first centres of official practice of medicine in the world was in Greece!
Modern day Greek authorities know little (if anything) on the subject -- but there seems to be interest and, as often happens in the beginning, a lot of misinformation circulating official corridors and crowding ministers' in-trays.
Greece can offer technologically advanced medical infrastructure in the private sector, albeit in small numbers.
The level of medical practitioners in Greece is exceptionally & surprisingly advanced -- surprising given visibly and apparently low tech and mediocre level of services offered in the Public Sector.
Greek legislation is restrictive to the growth of HT at the moment - but there is hope in the future (e.g. day clinics are forbidden in Greece, etc)
The Tourism part of HT is advanced in Greece and Tourism studies are very good.
Recruiting in the HT sector is typically towards destinations abroad (both doctors, nurses and hospitality professionals).
My personal conclusion:
Very well focused and razor-edge communicated Boutique Operations stand the best chance of growing HT in Greece at the present time & the near future.
This was one very important conference; it also was very rewarding for those who attended. The presentations material is worth investigating!
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