Health care"s role in stabilizing democracies discussed in Austria
- Health experts gathered in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, for the European Health Forum Gastein, a significant health policy event.
- Clemens Martin Auer, the Gastein President, emphasized the need for a new social contract to address health system funding and tackle both traditional and emerging cost drivers.
- The discussions highlighted the importance of digitization in healthcare and the necessity for political commitment to improve health systems, ultimately aiming to stabilize democracies.
The European Health Forum Gastein took place in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, attracting health professionals and policymakers to discuss pressing health issues. The event, led by Gastein President Clemens Martin Auer, aimed to address the challenges facing health systems in Europe, particularly in light of demographic shifts and the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Auer stressed the importance of drafting a new social contract that balances health system funding with the need to tackle both traditional cost drivers, such as pharmaceuticals, and emerging factors like unhealthy commercial determinants. Auer pointed out that the current political landscape lacks effective solutions to demographic challenges, including aging populations and urbanization. He called for a more robust political commitment to enhance the generics industry’s influence, which has been overshadowed by larger pharmaceutical companies. The discussions also highlighted the necessity of addressing the commercial determinants of health, which contribute to rising healthcare costs and hinder the potential benefits of digitalization in health. The conference underscored the critical role of digitization in healthcare, advocating for patients' rights to control their personal data for better health outcomes and research. Auer emphasized the urgency of unblocking barriers to fully realize the benefits of digital health solutions. Ultimately, the forum aimed to foster a collaborative approach among European nations to strengthen health systems, thereby contributing to the stabilization of democracies in the region.