WHO launches pilot program to improve data collection in Greek public hospitals

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a pilot program aimed at improving the recording, analysis, and of data in public hospitals and health centers across six regional health authorities.

The initiative, part of the second phase of Greece’s National Health Strategy, seeks to create a unified framework to measure and improve the quality of care provided by the country’s National Health System (ESY). The program, called Health-IQ, will begin at Athens’ Ippokration Hospital and expand to six other hospitals, including Laiko, Attikon, Venizeleio in Iraklio, Papageorgiou in Thessaloniki, and Pella General Hospital, as well as multiple health centers in Athens and the Peloponnese.

“Currently, every hospital records data differently,” said Christos Triantafyllou, WHO program manager for quality and safety. “We observed a fragmented information environment in ESY. Our goal is to create a shared documentation space that enhances transparency and consolidates all available information,” added Guido Wiler, WHO regional director for health promotion in Europe.

In the first phase, WHO experts and academics will conduct workshops to train hospital staff in proper data collection, monitoring and reporting. Collected data, from staffing levels and patient length of stay to diagnostic procedures and response times, will be shared with the Health Quality Assurance Organization (ODIPY) to strengthen transparency and system oversigh.

The pilot program, scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026, aims to reduce patient waiting times and optimize care delivery. “Our goal is to create a large data platform by February, enabling integrated information across the system,” said WHO Athens office head Joao Breda.

Kathimerini