Success beyond the buzzword
The statement was made that AI has the potential to transform healthcare delivery. But to realise its full potential, the way for the adoption of AI solutions at scale needs to be paved. Through the ongoing EIT Health Think Tank Round Table Series and via our joint report with McKinsey on Transforming Healthcare with AI, we continue to drive forward discussion and debate on the impact of AI on European healthcare.
As part of this focus, we invited the potential attendees to join us for our first live speaker session on Tuesday 24 November 2020. Our Director of Innovation, Jorge Juan Fernández, spoke with Mayo Clinic Platform President, John Halamka and leading medical futurist, Bertalan Meskó. Together, they discussed the opportunities AI presents for the healthcare field and debated the challenges to its successful implementation at scale across Europe.
Evidence-based transformation in patient care
Healthcare systems in Europe are struggling under growing, unsustainable demand for their services. But the solution cannot be more care, we must deliver better care. True impact in health care relies on meeting the patient needs that enhance their quality of life. This ideal is known as High Value Care (HVC).
In response to the need to support healthcare professionals to drive transformation in health care systems, EIT Health has developed the HVC Forum. This new strategic initiative is designed to help all stakeholders understand and adopt the measurable patient-focused approach HVC demands through education, training and best practice sharing.
We invited potential attendees to join us on Thursday 26 November where we explored patient outcomes, ways to measure their impact, and reasons why incentives are key to the successful adoption of HVC. Leading expert Christina Åkerman – EIT Health Senior Advisor and faculty member at Dell Medical School – spoke to Pieter de Bey, Director at Santeon indicating that bringing patients into the decision making process had improved treatment outcomes. She then spoke with Henk Veeze, Senior International Medical Director, Diabeter Nederland and Jan Hazelzet, Professor Health Care Quality & Outcome of Erasmus MC, discussed incentives and rewards in this space.
Meet consumer demands and remain competitive
Scientific and technological breakthroughs require systems that can keep up with the pace of change. Yet the current reimbursement model doesn’t necessarily support the most innovative and promising solutions. Innovators are left with the challenge of how to ensure their strategy demonstrates the right value so they can get paid – or find a way to be paid outside of the traditional system. Ultimately, policymakers, payers, providers and suppliers need to urgently rethink how they work if we are to help innovation thrive. We continue to voice the need to reshape incentives with new business models in order to support the development and growth of new digital health technologies.
On Tuesday 1 December, the session examined the business landscape and discussed new business models across the EU and US with case study examples, followed by a look at digitalisation and innovation from an EU perspective.
We brought together moderator Kurt Höller, Director of Business Creation at EIT Health and Ariel Stern, Associate Professor, Harvard Business School to discuss the business landscape in Europe. Then with Gottfried Ludewig, Director General, Digitalisation and Innovation, German Federal Ministry of Health and Kristina Lagerstedt, CEO, 1928 Diagnostics, the four-panel speakers discussed and debated around the topic of innovation and hindrance.
The EIT Health Catapult showcased the most exciting and promising Biotech, Medtech and Digital Health start-ups as they competed before a jury of experts, industry stakeholders and investors. Some of the brightest minds who are helping to shape the future of healthcare and inspiring the next generation of innovation were present.
Nine health start-up finalists across three categories pitched their innovations live to a panel of judges, with audience participation enabling members of the audience to vote in real-time alongside the panel. This was followed by ‘Meet the Innovators’ breakout sessions, during which the audience had the opportunity to hear from and interact with the finalists from all categories.
