Ithaki Health Conference Introduces Int’l Medical Tourism Center

Aiming to establish Greece as a leading medical, health and wellness tourism destination, Athens Medical Association President George Patoulis announced the creation of Greece’s International Medical Tourism Center, during a conference organized by the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) on the island of Ithaki over the weekend.

Athens Medical Association President, George Patoulis.

Speaking at the conference titled “Health Tourism: A Driver of Development of the Greek Economy & Establishing Greece into a Leading Destination 12 Months a Year”, Patoulis, who also presides over KEDE, said the center will be based in Athens, and will work with stakeholders towards the materialization of an action plan that will tap into Greece’s highly qualified human resources and top-notch services.

“Health tourism is set to become one of the most important pillars of the Greek economy in the coming decade… at the same time we want the International Health Tourism Center to be an ambassador of the country, to encourage, support and participate in international initiatives and schemes, as well as to develop international alliances between destinations and providers,” Patoulis said.

Leading priorities of the newly established center will include promoting and establishing Greece as a trusted medical tourism destination, encouraging the development of regional and local health tourism destinations in the form of clusters, setting up a system of supplementary services and products, the use of an anonymous patients record system for research and policies purposes, the collection and presentation of official data at medical tourism forums, events and conferences as well as arranging and providing structured education and training in all areas of health tourism.