Archives of Hellenic Medicine

Last update:

11-Nov-2026

Arch Hellen Med, 44(1), January-February 2027, 98-105

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Patient safety and consultocracy in healthcare:
Challenges, comparative assessment, and improvement strategies in Greece

E. Konstantinou,¹ I. Apostolakis,^1,2 P. Sarafis^1,3
¹School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras,
²School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens,
³Department of Nursing, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece

Patient safety constitutes a fundamental pillar of healthcare and remains a significant challenge for the Greek health system. According to studies, Greece reports high rates of antibiotic use, increasing the risk of antimicrobial resistance and hospital-acquired infections. Moreover, the low frequency of reporting adverse events reflects the need to enhance transparency and adopt a non-punitive approach to the disclosure of medical errors. Improving patient safety requires the establishment of a national strategy, training of healthcare professionals, standardized safety protocols, and electronic reporting of incidents. At the same time, consultant-dependency (or consultocracy) has been on the rise in Greece, with excessive reliance on external consultants posing risks to the integrity and autonomy of public institutions. To address this issue, policy proposals include ensuring transparency in public contracting, strengthening internal decision-making mechanisms, and improving hospital staffing. The adoption of these interventions may contribute to a more effective, equitable, and sustainable healthcare system in Greece.

Key words: Antimicrobial resistance, Consultocracy, Health safety, Incident reporting.