A warm and constructive atmosphere characterized the meetings between Dr. George Patoulis, President of the Athens Medical Association (AMA) and Elitour, and both His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Ms. Ifigenia Kanara, Consul General of Greece in New York. The meetings took place during Dr. Patoulis’s visit to attend the Greek Health Tourism Forum held in New York City.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros warmly welcomed Dr. Patoulis and a delegation of physicians at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in New York.
Dr. Patoulis briefed the Archbishop on the purpose of the Elitour delegation’s visit, highlighting the initiatives and actions undertaken by the Greek Health Tourism Council to promote Greece as a leading destination for Health and Wellness Tourism.
In his response, the Archbishop praised the efforts of the Greek delegation and acknowledged the global reputation of Greek medical schools, which attract significant interest from the Greek diaspora. To support young members of the diaspora, the Archdiocese offers scholarships enabling them to pursue studies in Greece. The Archbishop also underscored the importance of reproductive medicine, which brings joy to couples aspiring to start families.
Referring to the reconstruction of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero, the Archbishop emphasized that the Archdiocese’s 600 parishes across the U.S. could contribute to disseminating Greek scientific expertise within American society.
Earlier, Dr. Patoulis met with Consul General Ms. Ifigenia Kanara at the Greek Consulate in New York. During this meeting, he shared his strategic vision for advancing Greece’s Health and Wellness Tourism sector and highlighted the growing interest of the Greek-American community in the country’s medical tourism services over recent years.
Ms. Kanara affirmed the increasing importance of Health and Wellness Tourism as a development pillar for Greece. She expressed the Consulate’s commitment to supporting Elitour’s successful efforts, through its connections with the Greek diaspora, to establish Greece as a model country in Medical Tourism services.
As a token of appreciation, Dr. Patoulis presented both the Archbishop and the Consul General with the Centennial Album of the Athens Medical Association.
The meetings were also attended by Dr. Konstantinos Pantos, Vice President of Elitour, and Dr. Antonios Polydorou, Secretary General of the Global Doctors’ Hippocratic Institute.
