Greece has the lowest level of patient trust in its healthcare system among all OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, according to a new report.
The OECD report "Is Healthcare Effective?", released today, reveals that only 25% of Greek patients who encountered issues in primary care - such as delays, misdiagnoses, or poor communication with healthcare professionals - expressed trust in the system. Among those who did not face such problems, trust levels rose to 52%. In contrast, Spain ranks highest, with trust levels between 75% and 90%.
According to OECD analysts, public trust in healthcare is a key indicator of system effectiveness. The report highlights that higher trust is linked to better health outcomes.
People in good health are nearly 20% more likely to trust the system than those with poor health, a trend also observed in mental health. Trust levels also vary by country and are influenced by broader perceptions of institutional reliability, including confidence in government.
Personal experience plays a crucial role in shaping public trust. Patients who experience complications, receive inadequate information, or face long wait times are less likely to trust the system. Conversely, those who feel their primary care doctor spends sufficient time with them are nearly 90% more likely to have confidence in the system.
A separate survey by Greek polling agency GPO, published in Parapolitika, echoes these concerns. It found that the most financially vulnerable groups - unemployed individuals (47.4%) and low-income citizens (41.4%) - were the most likely to have been unable to access healthcare due to cost.
Nearly 30% of respondents reported difficulties securing medical appointments, with the highest barriers affecting the unemployed (44.3%) and low-income patients (39.4%). Access issues were also reported by 40.6% of respondents in northern Greece.
The main obstacles included long wait times for public healthcare appointments (79.7%) and difficulties booking consultations with private doctors affiliated with Greece’s national insurance system (42.8%).
Additionally, nearly 70% of respondents said they had to pay out of pocket for healthcare services in both public and private sectors over the past year.
