Reforming the Greek health system: A role for non-medical, clinical bioscientists

Within the context of the recent debt crisis and the subsequently adopted austerity measures, the Greek health system faces important challenges including the necessity to rationalize public spending. One domain where there is scope for reducing expenses is laboratory medicine services, that are provided by both public and private facilities. Specialized non-medical, clinical bioscientists (such as molecular biologists, biochemists and geneticists) massively participate in the provision of laboratory medicine services in both sectors; however, they are excluded from key positions, such as the direction of laboratories and sitting in regulatory bodies. This is in breach with European standards of practice and also constitutes an impediment to the much anticipated rationalization of spending; therefore has to be addressed by the Greek health services authorities.