Dear Colleagues and Guests,

On behalf of the Organizing Committee. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 1st World Congress on "QoL in Clinical Practice" under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Health and Welfare, the A' Regional Health System-Central Macedonia, hosted by the General Hospital Pan-Hellenic Psychiatric Society.

The present Congress will provide a forum to medical scientists from many specialities, psychologists, social workers and other health professionals for a global equality discussion under a common goal, which is to improve QoL of our patients. Its cross-speciality attendance shows that health professionals have realized that this goal may only be attained within the framework of an interdisciplinary approach.

The Congress intends to make a valuable contribution towards the drafting of a coordinated overall practice ranging all the way from QoL measurements, through Quality in our medical practice, to Health related QoL of our patients.

We expect that through the seven round tables, the four symposia, the six plenary lectures, the satellite symposium and the many oral and poster presentations, participants will highlight the latest research finding applied to clinical practice in health related QoL.

Once again, we look forward to sharing with you an exciting and professional rewarding program and hope that everyone will return home with pleasant memories.