Unit:
Deparment of Political Science & Public AdministrationLibrary of the Faculties of Political Science and Public Administration, Communication and Mass Media Studies, Turkish and Modern Asian Studies, Sociology
Dissertation committee:
Ιωάννης Υφαντόπουλος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Πολιτικής Επιστήμης και Δημόσιας Διοίκησης, ΕΚΠΑ.
Μαρία Γείτονα-Κοντούλη, Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Εκπαιδευτικής και Κοινωνικής Πολιτικής, Παν. Πελοποννήσου.
Αλέξης Μητρόπουλος, Αναπληρωτής καθηγητής, Τμήμα Πολιτικής Επιστήμης και Δημόσιας Διοίκησης, ΕΚΠΑ .
Χαράλαμπος Οικονόμου, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Κοινωνιολογίας, Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο.
Παναγιώτης Πρεζεράκος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, Πανεπιστήμιο Πελοποννήσου.
Μαρία Ηλιάνα Πραβίτα, Λέκτορας, Τμήμα Πολιτικής Επιστήμης και Δημόσιας Διοίκησης, ΕΚΠΑ.
Γεώργιος Πιερράκος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων, ΠΑΔΑ.
Original Title:
H δυναμική των μεταρρυθμίσεων στα συστήματα υγείας στην Ευρωπαϊκή 'Ένωση. Η περίπτωση της Ελλάδας
Translated title:
The dynamic of reforms at European Union health systems .The case of Greece during the crisis.
Summary:
This paper aims to examine the dynamics of reforms in health systems in Europe with a focus on Greek. Health and social protection systems constituting the welfare state are now faced with major developments and changes due to new social conditions and the economic crisis. This results in intense transformations that affect their traditional typology, and at the same time face significant challenges that are growing increasingly in countries that are experiencing the effects of the economic crisis such as Greece. The continuing reduction in health resources has raised considerable doubts about whether European health systems, and in particular the Greek one, are achieving their goals.
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the reforms of the European health systems focusing on the Greek one in order to highlight its effectiveness and efficiency. This evaluation focuses on achieving the goals and the services they offer to their users.
The research was conducted through a quantitative and qualitative method and the research tools used were the semi-structured interview and the closed-ended questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews are defined as interviews based on a free debate and not on predetermined questions whose structure, formulation, and sequence the interviewer must adhere to. The judgmental method was chosen for this study. The sample sampling is not random and the sample is determined by the person conducting the survey. The application of this method was due to the homogeneity of the sample as well as to the fact that random sampling was not feasible. This research is also conclusive, descriptive and statistical, as it is quantitative and draws conclusions both with the use of questionnaires and with information obtained through the data already available in statistical and government departments. The procedure followed is the goal definition and the control of theoretical assumptions that are subject to the data collected and rejected or confirmed.
The research questions raised were aimed at identifying the problems faced by the Greek public health system as they are experienced and perceived by the recipients of their services as well as by health professionals.
The lack of resources caused by the economic crisis in Greece was considered likely to have had a significant impact on equality but also on the credibility of health system services. This has further aggravated the pathogens of the Greek health system, which have not been able to overcome the reforms it has undergone from time to time.
Based on the analysis of the findings of the research, the following indicative conclusions are drawn:
There is no equal access to the public health system. A large portion of the citizens are not able to use his services due to the reasons such as the lack of insurance and the lack of the distribution of the health services and their total expansion.
The private sector is preferred to the public if it is economically possible. This is happening due to the belief that the services of the public health systems are considered without credibility and are major problems in the help of the users which prefer the private sector because they believe they will have better ans quicker service.
According to the basic research cases it was found that access to the public health system is not fair and the root cause of this is the consequences of the economic crisis. Also, health care users do not consider the Greek public health system to be reliable, and so many of them are addressed to private doctors. The reforms that have been made to the Greek public health system have not changed significantly the level of its services except in some areas such as prescribing. Finally, users of health services face significant problems with the benefits they receive.
The difference between the Greek health system and the rest is the lack of planned and systematic reforms that will take into account all the factors that affect their functioning. Although with differences between them, the health systems of Europe compared to the Greek one, are highly efficient and the legislative regulations are implemented, evaluated and transformed according to the results they bring. Therefore, the assessment of the problems of the Greek health system is considered vital for the reforms that will be made to resolve them and not to perpetuate this situation. The fact that the Greek health system contrasts with other European countries facing similar problems is also the originality of this research.
Main subject category:
Social, Political and Economic sciences
Keywords:
Public health, efficiency, equality, reforms, health systems, resources, structure, organization.
Number of references:
325
