Review - Health Economics Talks 2023: Green Health - Innovation potential and challenges
PRESS RELEASE on the Health Economics Talks 2023
Health Economics Talks 2023: Green Health - innovation potential and challenges
This year's Health Economics Talks were dedicated to the highly topical subject of "Green Health". Experts and practitioners from the health sector discussed both aspects of the topic: Under the title "Climate change and health", the consequences of climate change for the health of the population were discussed. A second thematic block dealt with practical approaches to sustainability management and the associated impetus for innovation. Ministerial Director Daniel Stich from the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Science and Health (MWG) provided the political impetus. The symposium was organized by the Institute for Management, Economics and Healthcare (IMÖVG) at Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU) and took place on 13.10.2023.
Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, 16.10.2023: "The megatopics of climate protection or sustainability and health associated with the title 'Green Health' connect social, political, economic and scientific areas as cross-cutting issues and are also of particular strategic importance for the profile of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society," explained University President Prof. Dr. Gunther Piller in his welcoming address and added: "Next year, for example, two new degree programs will be launched at the Department of Management, Controlling, HealthCare, a Bachelor's and a Master's, on the topic of sustainability."
Prof. Dr. Eveline Häusler, initiator and academic co-director of this series of events, which has now been running for 20 years, then gave a more in-depth introduction to the topic: With a share of around 5% of national greenhouse gas emissions, the healthcare sector has a deep ecological footprint. This applies similarly to water consumption, waste and other factors. At the same time, service providers, health insurance companies and the industrial healthcare sector, as well as public administrations, face major challenges when it comes to tackling the health consequences of climate change, Häusler said in her introduction. "The effects of climate change are a key aspect in the future design of a resilient healthcare system. Green health therefore addresses both the need to reduce harmful ecological and social consequences in connection with healthcare services - be it in production, transportation, use or disposal - as well as the change in the need for care," Häusler continued.
These two dimensions of the topic were also addressed by Ministerial Director Daniel Stich from the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Science and Health. In his keynote speech, he addressed both sustainable healthcare, starting with preventative measures to promote health, through healthcare to aftercare and rehabilitation measures, as well as the consequences of climate change for the healthcare system. "Climate change is the biggest global challenge and also a particular challenge for our healthcare system," said Stich, referring to studies by the World Health Organization (WHO), adding: "Germany and Rhineland-Palatinate are also affected by this." Increased resistance to antibiotics, the rising risk of Lyme disease, the occurrence of West Nile fever in northern latitudes, increased bacterial contamination in water and a greater number of heat-related deaths were just a few examples cited by Stich. Taking cross-departmental measures to reduce climate-damaging emissions and adapt to climate change is therefore of great importance: the heat action plan is a building block for this, as is the unsealing of surfaces, the greening and shading of city centers or the targeted reduction in emissions from healthcare facilities such as hospitals, said Stich.
The connection between climate protection, climate adaptation and health protection using the example of municipalities was then explained in more detail by Dr. Michael Eichinger from the University Medical Center Mannheim and Mainz in his presentation "Climate change and health: climate protection as health protection". Like Stich, the head of the working group on healthcare research in childhood and adolescence at the University of Mainz and the 'Planetary Health' working group at the Mannheim Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University was convinced that the climate crisis was also a health crisis and that it would also lead to a social crisis. The "planetary polytrauma" had progressed far in the years 2015 to 2023 alone and with it the health risk situation. 'Planetary health' must therefore be implemented as a central cross-cutting topic in government structures and transdisciplinary cooperation must be established across sectors. The development, implementation and evaluation of interventions that have a positive impact on the environment and health should be at the forefront. The good news: "There are few conflicts of objectives between the individual departments," Eichinger was convinced.
In the second thematic block, the Health Economics Talks dealt with innovative approaches to sustainability management from professional practice: Burak Isiksal, Head of Infrastructure, Construction and Purchasing at the BG Klinik Ludwigshafen, gave an insight into the perspective of hospitals; Elke Ruppert from Siemens Betriebskrankenkasse gave the perspective of health insurance companies. Thomas Hugendubel from Roche Pharma AG then spoke on the topic of sustainability management from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry, supplemented by a contribution from Christina Loch, Head of CSR & Sustainability at Caritasverband Speyer, from the perspective of nursing care. Here, as well as in the subsequent panel discussion, it became clear that ambitious sustainability goals can only be achieved if the players along the entire value chain and across professional groups work together. Sustainability therefore has the potential to become a further driver of cross-sector collaboration, it was concluded.
Not least the students were impressed by the practical experience and impulses shared by the speakers. One key insight from the students' perspective was that the topic of sustainability affects all sub-sectors of healthcare in a variety of ways and is already being actively addressed.
Prof. Dr. Verena Vogt from Jena University Hospital introduced a further aspect of the topic into the discussion after the lunch break: In her presentation "Reducing overuse", she pointed out the problematic consequences of misuse and overuse from an ecological perspective.
Ceremonial presentation of the health economics awards
This year's Health Economics Talks once again concluded with the presentation of the prizes for the best Bachelor's and Master's theses sponsored by the Health Economics Sponsorship Association (GiP). Vanessa Gergereder received the prize of 700 euros for her bachelor's thesis "Leadership in the context of New Work using the example of the management guidelines of the Siemens company health insurance fund"; Saskia Staiger received the prize of 800 euros for her master's thesis "Health Literate Organizations - a concept for elderly care facilities in Germany?". The prizes were presented by Rüdiger Burkhard, 2nd Chairman of the Association for the Promotion of Health Economics.
Background information: Health Economics Talks
The Health Economics Talks have been bringing together expertise, decision-makers from all areas of healthcare, politics and science at the university for 20 years and provide impetus to successfully master the challenges facing this innovative industry in the interests of efficient medical care. The Health Economics Talks 2024 will take place on November 8, 2024.
The Health Economics Talks are sponsored by the Förderverein Gesundheitsökonomie an der Hochschule Ludwigshafen e.V.
Further information at:
www.hwg-lu.de/studium/bachelor/gip/gesundheitsoekonomische-gespraeche
Specialist contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society
Institute for Management, Economics and Health Care (IMÖVG)
Simone Kuhn
Tel. 0621 5203-197
imoevg@hwg-lu.de
Press contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society
University Communications Office
Dr. Elena Wassmann
Tel. 0621/5203-253
E-Mail: hochschulkommunikation@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
Lectures
- Sustainability management in practice / Sustainability as a driver of innovation in the healthcare system Perspective on care (Christina Loch)
- Reducing overuse - on the way to a sustainable healthcare system (Prof. Dr. PH Verena Vogt)
- Health insurance perspective (Elke Ruppert)
- Hospital perspective (Dipl. Ing. Burak Isiksal)
Wrap-up of the last Health Economics Talks
Gleanings 2022: BioTech meets Health Economics
BioTech meets health economics
- October 14, 2022, 9:30 h at the College of Business and Society.
- You can find the programhere.
- The speakers of the GÖG 2022 can be found here.
- Slides for the lecture Healthcare Biotech: value contribution in Europe, Dr. Zimmermann, WifOR can be found here.
- Slides to the presentation Healthcare Biotech and Venture Capital, Prof.Dr. Jamin, HWG Ludwigshafen can be found here.
"Germany has the chance to become the leading international biotechnology location. Through the first mRNA vaccine from Mainz, our country has gained global visibility." (1) This is how the ruling traffic light coalition puts it in its coalition agreement.
Against this background, the Health Economics Talks 2022 will shed light on "red" biotechnology, as such the application of biotechnological processes in medical care, from a health economics perspective. Certainly, the mRNA-based vaccine against COVID-19 from the company BioNTech is the best-known success of these innovative processes. However, the enormous importance of red biotechnology is made clear by another figure: so-called biopharmaceuticals now account for almost half of all newly approved drugs in Germany. (2)
We are pleased that we have been able to attract proven experts who will be happy to share their knowledge and answer your questions. The conference will open with a look at success factors for the development of biotechnology clusters. Clemens Hoch, Minister for Science and Health of Rhineland-Palatinate, will discuss the promotion of a biotech cluster in Rhineland-Palatinate from a political perspective. In addition, Thomas Runkel, an acknowledged expert on pharmaceuticals and Asia, will ask what insights can be gained from the development of biotech clusters in Asia and made usable for Germany. Other key topics will be the quantification of the industry'scontribution to value creation inEurope by Dr. Sandra Zimmermann, WifOR Institute, and the special features of investments in biotech startups from an investor's perspective. In his presentation on healthcare biotech and venture capital, Prof. Dr. Gösta Jamin, HWG Ludwigshafen will also explore how more investor funds can be mobilized for this sector, based on his extensive consulting experience with startups. The conference will be rounded off by a look at the hurdles that the developed therapeutic approaches have to overcome in gaining access to the healthcare system: Fabian Berkemeier, IGES will present Innovative Reimbursement Models for High-Cost Therapeutic Approaches and Prof. Dr. Stefan Lhachimi, HS Neubrandenburg will examine Health Technology Assessment strategies in the context of biotechnology.
The Health Economics Talks 2022 bring together experts and decision-makers from medical biotechnology companies, politics, health care and science and provide impetus to successfully master the challenges facing this innovative industry in the interest of efficient medical care.
In addition to networking among the professional audience, the inclusion of young health economics expertise offers a special added value of the Health Economics Talks. Take the opportunity to get in touch with graduates and students of the health economics courses at the HWG and thus win young professionals for your company, for your organization.
(1) SPD, BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN,FDP (2021): wagen mehr Fortschritt. COALITION AGREEMENT 2021-2025.P. 17.
(2) Vfa - German Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (2022): Strong biotech sector ensures growth and more employees. As of June 2, 2022. Online https://www.vfa-bio.de (accessed June 12, 2022).
Nachlese 2021: Shaping regional innovation spaces for healthcare delivery
- October 29, 2021, 10:00h as an online event.
- ZOOM link to the event: https://hwg-lu-de.zoom.us/j/64433059164
- The current program can be found here.
- The speakers of the GÖG 2021 can be found here.
This year's Health Economics Talks focus on the region as a shaping space for health care. This regional perspective was already suggested by the German Council of Health Experts in 2009.1 Most recently, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen have called for the establishment of "health regions "2 and the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region GmbH has launched a strategy project "Rhine-Neckar Health Region" together with the Gesundheitsplattform Rhein-Neckar e.V. (Rhine-Neckar Health Platform).3
The conference aims to provide food for thought on how the design space "health region" can be filled with innovative care concepts. Two topics will be addressed, and concrete projects will be presented in each field:
- Topic 1: Neighborhood management
- Topic 2: Regional aspects of care - shaping innovative spaces.
Nachlese 2020: Adaptive and resilient healthcare 2030 - utopia or reality?
- Link to the playlist on Youtube.
- Learn more about speakers here.
The Corona pandemic is a stress test for our healthcare system and healthcare systems worldwide. The pandemic is challenging systems not only in terms of the scope and quality of care they provide, but also in terms of their adaptive capacity and resilience. This was the thread taken up by the Health Economics Talks - GÖG 2020. Based on the experiences with and in the Corona pandemic, proven experts addressed approaches for the design of adaptive and at the same time resilient healthcare in expert presentations. In addition, students were involved in the development of innovative solutions through a hackathon.
GÖG 2020 was a great success in digital format: for the first time, the symposium was offered completely virtually and in combination with a hackathon. The presentations were recorded and are available for you.
For the first time, graduates of the health economics programs contribute their expertise to the organization of the conference, so that applies: the GÖG 2020 are a format for, with and by young experts in health care!
Nachlese 2019: Reform construction sites of the financing in the health care system - presentation slides of the speakers
Dr. Martin Albrecht
Managing Director and Head of Division Health Policy, IGES Institute, Berlin
Thomas Czihal
Zi - Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance in Germany, Berlin
Jürgen Graf
Head of Integrated Service Management, AOK Baden-Württemberg
Dr. Wulf-Dietrich Leber
Head of Hospital Department, GKV Spitzenverband, Berlin
Vera Lux
Management Consulting Nursing and Health Care, Cologne
Jochen Metzner
Head of Health Department, Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Demography, Rhineland-Palatinate
Prof. Dr. Volker Ulrich
Chair of Economics III - Finance, University of Bayreuth
Nachlese 2018: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Autonomous Systems in Healthcare - Speaker slides.
Heike Arend, M.A.
Managing Director Future Initiative Rhineland-Palatinate (ZIRP)
Prof. Dr. rer. cur. Helma M. Bleses
Hochschule Fulda - University of Applied Sciences, Department of Nursing and Health (speaker was unable to speak personally at the conference)
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Michael M. Brucksch, Dipl.-Ing.
CEO, DHI - Deutsches Hochschul-Institut Prof. Dr. Brucksch & Coll.
Emilio Fioranelli, M.Sc. Health Care Management
Medical Controller at the Pfalzklinikum Klingenmünster for Psychiatry and Neurology AdöR
Prof. Dr. iur. Heinrich Hanika
Professor of Business Law and European Union Law, Faculty I, Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences
Mr. Niels Will, health scientist, representing Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Frank Kirchner
University of Bremen, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH (DFKI), Head of Robotics Innovation Center
Dr. rer. nat. Volkhardt Klein
Senior Expert Insurance, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG
Dr. Martina Niemeyer
Chairwoman of the Board, AOK - Die Gesundheitskasse in Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland
Prof. Dr. phil. Klaus Wiegerling
KIT Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)