“governmental Accounting Reform in the Greek Public Hospitals: Some Preliminary Results of Its Implementation”

The reforms in the public sector accounting and financial management, as an important part of the New Public Management (NPM) initiative, have attracted considerable interest all over the world. The purpose of this study is to present empirical results related to the introduction and implementation of a governmental financial accounting reform in the public health sector in Greece five years after its primary conception. Our analysis is based on the results of an empirical survey that took place during 2008. For the purposes of this survey, a structured questionnaire was prepared and sent to a sample of 132 Greek public hospitals. The empirical examination reveals a number of benefits from the use of accrual accounting information in the public health sector but also, difficulties encountered during the implementation phase. Prospects and implications of these results are provided for future research when using that kind of accounting in public sector entities.