Τhe first web-Global Congress, “Hippocrates unites the five Continents”, was held on Saturday 20 March 2021. It was organized by the Global Doctors’ Hippocratic Institute (GDHI), in cooperation with the International Hippocratic Foundation of Kos, and the Medical dept. of the University of Thessaly. During the Congress, Professor of Dermatology, President of Hellenic Academy of Thermal Medicine and President of World Academy of Chinese & Complementary Medicine Konstantinos Kouskoukis delivered the following address on the prospects for growth of Modern Hippocratic Thermal Medicine:
“Thermal Medicine has a wide range of preventive and therapeutic applications using natural resources. It is not only for the elderly (babyboomers), as it could be established as a trend of young people for prevention (new lifestyle). Thermal Medicine includes activities in medi-spa and thalassotherapy centers for recreation and rejuvenation and plays, also, an important role in cosmetology and cosmetics, dermatological products, and spas. Globally, current trends include a combination of holidays and services for prevention, maintenance, or improvement of health through programs of rejuvenation and relaxation. Furthermore, Thermal Medicine is directed not only to patients but also to their caregivers, as well as, to healthy people
Worldwide, life expectancy is increasing, the gap between male and female life expectancy is narrowing, while the period of healthy life expectancy is expanding. Moreover, the number of older tourists from existing markets in developed countries is getting larger, while older tourists want to have a younger outlook than previous generations
In most European countries, Medispas, and spa facilities, treatment is paid by social/health insurance, while cross-border healthcare is mainly paid by patients/clients. It is evidenced that Thermal Medicine can be used as a therapeutical approach on myoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrinological, gastrointestinal, urinary, dermatological, gynecological, allergic, ENT, and periodontal diseases.
Health Tourism surpasses other types of tourism, as it constitutes a form of tourism that is active throughout the year. All treatments of Thermal Medicine require twentyone applications per semester and only for 20 minutes providing increased revenue of hotel units, job vacancies for specialized medical and hotel staff. Furthermore, Greece with rich cultural and historical heritage, with excellent bioclimate has to be one of the top four seasons destinations for alternative tourism.
EU supports programs for financing investment initiatives towards the development of health tourism, and besides, there is a need for investment in long-term planning to attract senior citizens who have both time and money.”
From the 6th Panhellenic Conference of Spa Medicine
