Ready for the next crisis – Building resilient healthcare systems in Europe

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The COVID-19 pandemic has hit OECD health systems under-prepared, under-staffed and under-valued, but also under-invested. Under-prepared because they focus too much on curative treatment and too little on prevention of chronic diseases – or of severe outcomes of infection – through more exercise and healthier diets. Under-staffed and under-valued because the pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the ageing-related shortage of health care staff. Under-invested because a lack of capacity to use advanced data analytics and digital tools has made pandemic management much more difficult and continues to hinder better health care. The OECD has developed recommendations on how to learn from the lessons of the pandemic in building resilient healthcare systems. In a webinar jointly organized by the European University Hospital Alliance (EUHA) and the OECD Berlin Centre, an expert panel discussed the results of the report and policy implications from the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Philip Haywood (OECD) presented the results of the OECD survey Ready for the Next Crisis? Investing in Health System Resilience. Afterwards, Reinhard Busse (TU Berlin), Gabriela Kornek (EUHA, University Hospital Vienna), Heyo Kroemer (EUHA, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin), Matthias Mieves (Member of German Bundestag) and Catherine Paugam-Burtz (EUHA, AP-HP Paris) discussed implications for health system reforms. The discussion was moderated by Nicola Brandt (OECD Berlin Centre).

Video:

Presentation by Philip Haywood:

Further reading:

Ready for the Next Crisis? Investing in Health System Resilience. OECD study (23 February 2023)

Ready for the Next Crisis? Investing in Health System Resilience. Accompanying website with additional information

EUHA’s initiatives. Website of the European University Hospital Alliance

Regierungskommission für eine moderne und bedarfsgerechte Krankenhausversorgung. Website of the German Federal Ministry of Health with recommendations by the government’s commission for hospital reforms.