EFSUMB Newsletter
EFSUMB Newsletter European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
EFSUMB Newsletter Meets Greece The interview with representative from the Hellenic Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Dr. Pavlos S. Zoumpoulis, MD, by Chairman of EFSUMB Publications Committee Professor Michael Bachmann Nielsen took place in September 2010. Dr. Zoumpoulis started working with ultrasound in the early 80‘s: “A young enthusiastic radiologist, after four years internship in Athens‘ hospitals feels that something is changing in Radiology and starts writing letters in order to find his way through the „new era of Radiology“ he feels coming. He wrote many letters to USA, British, Scandinavian and French Universities and Hospitals. Many responses came. A proposition for a radiology resident post attracts his interest: it proposes training in Ultrasound in Hotel Dieu hospital, in Paris.” Today his main interests are ultrasonography of the liver (including elastographic studies with different types of equipment), US of the prostate, breast and thyroid, guided biopsies and musculoskeletal US.
How Ultrasound is Organized in Greece ▼▼
Both public and private health sectors are developed in Greece and ultrasound has an active role in this development. “The public sector is under-equipped: most of the US machines are installed in radiology and cardiology departments in public hospitals and fewer machines are installed in gastroenterology and urology departments. Those machines are in the large majority old, dating from the 90‘s or even the 80‘s. The status of the sonographer does not exist in Greece, but there are some sonographers, mainly in the OBGYN and vascular fields with education from the UK or USA. The educational level of doctors practicing ultrasound (US) in the public hospital is good, because US takes part of the teaching and practical skills in every specialty having to do with ultrasound.” “The private sector is, on the contrary, over-equipped: many new and „big“ US machines are in the hands of gynaecologists, cardiologists and radiologists. Gynaecologists have recent 3D machines in the flourishing obstetrical clinics or in priThe Parthenon, Athens completed in 432 BC.
▶▶Population: 11 million ▶▶Capital City: Athens ▶▶EFSUMB members: 53
vate practices. Radiology and imaging departments are the main source of income for the different size – and quality – private Diagnostic Centres all around Greece. During the last 10 years many endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, GP‘s, urologists and recently orthopaedics and rheumatologists are involved. Most of the „newcomers“ are autodidacts and ensure by their own means the renewal of their US skills with short refresher courses in congresses or visits to specialized centres, mainly in Europe.” The economic crisis is hurting heavily the public and the private health sectors: fewer investments, loss of jobs, lowering of prices. The ultrasound community is not excluded. “Most of the private diagnostic centres base their resources on the publiccontrolled health insurance organizations. Public institutions are heavy, bureaucratic and unable to establish health strategy which imposes large diminution of reimbursement prices of ultrasound
EFSUMB Lynne Rudd 36 Portland Place, London W1B 1LS, United Kingdom Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7099 7140 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7436 7934 E-Mail: efsumb@efsumb.org
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