Last update:

   09-May-2025
 

Arch Hellen Med, 42(Supplement 1), 2025, 38-50

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Integrating public health and primary health care

C. Lionis,1 E. Thireos,2 M. Anastasaki,3,4 A. Lappa,5 A.D. Mariolis,6 M. Papadakaki,7 E. Petelos,3,8 T. Sergentanis,9 K. Souliotis,10 A. Sotirchou,11 D. Topali,12 I. Tsiligianni,13 Α. Philalithis[†],14 E. Frangoulis15
1School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete,
2General Practitioner/Family Physician, Director of National Health System, Head of General Directorate, National Agency for Quality Assurance in Health SA, President of Athens Medical Society, Athens,
3Division of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete,
4Laboratory "Society and Health", Medical School and Center for Research and Studies, University of Crete, Rethymno, Crete,
5Department of Public Health, Fifth Healthcare Region,
6Health Center of Areopolis, Areopolis, and Hellenic Academy of General Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Athens,
7Laboratory of Health and Road Safety, Department of Social Work, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Heraklion, Crete,
8Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands,
9Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens,
10Professor of Health Policy, Dean of the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Corinth,
11Directorate of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Athens,
12Department of Social Medicine, Health Center of Katerini, Katerini,
13Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete,
14Emeritus Professor of Social Medicine - Health Planning, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Died in 2024,
15Hellenic Academy of General Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Athens, Greece

Integrating public health (PH) with primary health care (PHC) is increasingly recognized as crucial in global health policy discussions and contemporary scholarly debates. In Greece, the Working Group, formed under the guidance of a 50-member Central Coordinating Committee as part of the country's "Action Plan for Public Health in the 21st Century" and supported by the Bodossaki Foundation, has dedicated its efforts to explore this integration. This opinion document evaluates the present state of PHC and PH services in Greece, spotlighting the challenges, accomplishments, and barriers impacting health service quality improvement. It culminates in proposing health policy recommendations for collaborative initiatives and joint actions between PH and PHC, offering a valuable contribution to the ongoing health reform discourse in Greece.

Key words: Greece, Integration, Primary health care, Public health.


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