title: Planning and design for a culture of safety in Thessaloniki's hospitals.
abstract: Thessaloniki is the second capital of Greece, located in the region of Macedonia, in the northern part of the Greek mainland. After the opening of the boarders of the former 'Eastern Block' countries and following their general open-policy to the European Union, Thessaloniki became an important part of the Balkans Initiative, aiming at attracting patients from abroad to Greece. Thus, some of the most modern hospitals in Greece are near Thessaloniki. Patient safety forms an important issue of the policy attracting patients. With this paper an attempt will be made to examine the characteristics of a culture of safety embodied in the planning and design of two of Thessaloniki's hospitals. These characteristics are to be found in the health care environment of the present clinical processes, on both, a quantitative and a qualitatve basis, and finally, suggestions for further development.
authors.affiliation: The International Union of Architects-Public Health Group.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatzicocoli-Syrakou
authors.forename: Athena-Christina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Syrakoy
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006115:Greece; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D015279:Organizational Culture; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D023481:Terrorism