René Descartes College Conference Conclusions: Transformation of the model and a pan-European strategy are necessary to address new challenges in the healthcare sector
The conference organized by René Descartes College, in collaboration with the French state University, Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM Paris), titled “The Ever-Changing Field of Healthcare Management,” was successfully held on Friday, April 19, at the Théo Angelopoulos Amphitheater of the French Institute of Greece.
The goal of the conference was to analyse the rapid developments occurring in the field of health organization management in Greece and abroad, the challenges and opportunities arising from the implementation of new technologies in the sector, the changes in the way health services are provided, and the need for innovation in administration and organization.
At the start of the conference, which gathered numerous health sector executives from Greece and abroad, as well as representatives from the political and academic world, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, congratulated the College for the organization of the event and referred to the role of management in the healthcare sector in upgrading and evolving health systems as well as implementing the vision of the European Union for Health.
In his address, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Marios Themistocleous, emphasized the importance of attracting and developing competent executives in the field of health management so as to be able to face crises such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and to encounter the new environment shaped by the digitalization of health and the new service delivery model. He presented the progress that has been made and continues to be made towards modernizing public health administration, noting that initiatives, like the Conference, contribute towards this direction.
In her greeting, the Ambassador of France to Greece, Laurence Auer, mentioned the European acquis in public health and the need for transnational cooperation to address contemporary challenges. Finally, the President of René Descartes College, Dr. Kyriakos Kenevezos, underscored the role of tertiary education in forming competent executives in the health sector and expressed the College’s intention to continue this initiative by bringing together professionals, academics, and policymakers in the sectors in which it offers educational programs.
The main part of the event consisted of placements by distinguished speakers such as Dr. Kyriakos Souliotis, Professor of Health Policy, Dean of the School of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Peloponnese and President of the Institute of Health Policy, who presented a proposal for the governance of the Greek NHS designed within the framework of a study by diaNEOsis, led by Professor Emeritus of Social and Preventive Medicine of the University of Athens, Dr. Giannis Tountas.
Additionally, Professors from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, Dr. Jérôme Lartigau and Dr. Fatima Yatim Daumas, referred to new management models and international technological developments in the health sector. The baton was t passed to the President of the Greek Association of Health Service Management (EEMYH), Georgia Oikonomopoulou, who analyzed what constitutes a well-managed hospital and the current challenges hospitals face, and then to the Managing Director of KETEKNY AE, Dr. Charalambos Platis, who presented the application of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) as a method of hospital compensation, as well as the initial results of this.
The Conference closed with a round table discussion presenting case studies from the private sector, involving the Head of Strategy and Investment Relations of the Hellenic Healthcare Group, Ioannis Valvis, the General Director of the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies of Greece, Michalis Himonas, the Director of the Life Insurance Sub-Division of Groupama Insurance, Konstantinos Pantos, and the Data & AI Sales Specialist of IBM Greece and Cyprus, Sofia Argiti.
The Conference was held under the auspices of the Greek-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Panhellenic Medical Association, the Union of Nurses of Greece, and the Greek Association of Health Service Management, and with the support of companies such as Hellenic Healthcare Group A.E., Groupama Insurance A.E., IBM Innovation A.E., Siba Soft A.E., Public Soft IKE, Proopsis Consulting A.E., ADVANCE Pharmacies SA, Zita Congress and Events Management A.E., M.SQUARED ENGINEERS E.E., CITY & REGION PLANNING, and REdI4HEALTH. The Communication Sponsor of the Conference was Health Daily.
A few words about René Descartes College: René Descartes College, a member of the AAnG Group, has been operating since 2000 and is housed at the headquarters of the French Institute in Athens. Ιt is the exclusive representative of the French State University CNAM in Greece. It offers postgraduate programs for professionals, including the Programs “Management of Health Units and Socio-Medical Care,” “Law and Management of Health,” “E-Business & Digital Marketing,” & “Computer Networks & IoT Systems.” CNAM (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers) is one of the largest and oldest educational institutions in France and Europe. It awards globally recognized undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees, offering scientific and professional specialization in more than 300 professions.