The need for the introduction of quality management into Greek health care

This paper describes the results of a research conducted in Greek public hospitals between May and October 1998. According to secondary data, Greek hospitals do not seem to follow the world-wide trend of implementing quality principles and management systems, facing a wide range of problems which serve as an obstacle to their productive and normal function. The research aims to investigate the organized and scientific implementation of quality management systems in Greek public hospitals. Research findings reveal a rare implementation of quality management systems in Greek hospitals and stress the need for the introduction of quality management into Greek health care. Leadership, which plays the more basic role in supporting quality programmes, lacks basic education in quality issues. In most cases, the implementation of quality programmes depends on employees' initiatives and does not stem from an organized, central plan. Finally, although Greek hospitals have to face many problems, these problems are not exclusively due to the lack of quality programmes.