Session 1

Fit for the future

Driving innovation in health system governance, financing and resilience

Organised by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

European health systems are facing unprecedented challenges, from ageing populations to budgetary constraints and global pandemics. Making health systems fit to meet these demands requires rethinking outdated decision-making models and transitioning towards innovative governance and financing approaches. Importantly, lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic must be seized to close existing care gaps and enhance the resilience of health systems.

Turning forward-looking ideas into actions is a challenging endeavour for governments, which requires commitment, ownership and a novel conceptualisation of innovation and governance. At EU level, countries can access various forms of support to facilitate the implementation of innovative health system solutions.

This session will examine such instruments more closely by sharing experiences from different national contexts with a focus on implementing primary healthcare solutions. Through testimonials, real-life case examples and interactive discussions, the session will reflect on the European setting and examine what it takes to accomplish innovation in health systems today.