In the last ten years, the Greek health systems has been engaged in a process of rapid and dynamic develpoment. Since 1983, when the law setting up a National Health Systems was passed by Parliament, four new regional teaching hospitals (tertiary care level) and 20 prefectural hospitals have been built, with a capacity of 6,000 beds. More than 200 health centres have been constructed and opened, and the total number of persons emplyed in the health system has increased by 40%. The private sector, too, has invested large sums of capital in health, chiefly in the form of diagnostic centres equipped with the last word in technology.