The health sector has attracted international attention in recent years, both politically and in terms of community and scientific discussion. This trend is largely expected, as it is a sector that accounts for approximately 10% of GDP in most countries, employs a significant portion of the active human workforce in various specialties, and has a notable share of its business cycle in research and development of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods.

However, the connection of the health sector with research is not limited to "classic" medical and related scientific fields. Reality has essentially led to the entry of other scientific fields and areas such as economics, law, management, political science, institutional and systemic analysis, sociology, anthropology, etc. This penetration has had impressive results, as it has contributed to the identification of parameters that greatly affect the effectiveness of health services, such as the financial framework, the supply and demand relationship, patient rights, the institutional structure of health systems, the management systems of structures, health inequalities, and health services.

This pluralism of issues related to the health sector, always in combination with the strong social interest it generates, led the Department of Social and Educational Policy of the University of Peloponnese to include in the Postgraduate Program, which has been operating for three academic years, the direction: "Institutions and Health Policies". The present volume includes texts by the instructors, covering all scientific areas corresponding to the courses of this specific direction.
This book is the fifth in the series "Community and Educational Policy", which is published by Papazisi editions in collaboration with the homonymous department of the University of Peloponnese. Its aim is to contribute to the enhancement of scientific dialogue on health issues and to serve as a useful handbook for those involved in them at the undergraduate or postgraduate level of studies, as well as on a professional basis.