Sciana – New European Health Leaders Network Launched

Sciana holds its first meeting to address challenges and improve health and health care in Europe and beyond

The Sciana network, a groundbreaking international initiative that brings together health care leaders from the UK, Germany, and Switzerland, will hold its inaugural meeting in Salzburg this week (April 26 to 29).

The health leaders network is an international collaboration between the Health Foundation, Careum Stiftung and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, facilitated by Salzburg Global Seminar and hosted at Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron. Sciana will bring together leaders in health and health care policy over the next two years to find solutions to shared challenges being faced in health care across Europe.

Against a backdrop of financial strain, demographic change, chronic diseases, and migration, the network will provide members with time and space to share insights gained from their own experiences and debate new and innovative approaches to health care and health policy, with the potential to make real and lasting change to future health care delivery.

Seventeen members including health policymakers, practitioners, academics, and public sector leaders will make up the first meeting – with each organization contributing up to six members. Salzburg Global Seminar will coordinate and deliver the programs, supporting members in the running of activities, including leading workshops, and showcasing and developing policy proposals.

Salzburg Global has long been a leading forum for the exchange of ideas on issues in health and health care, running dedicated health and health care policy sessions since the 1970s. The multi-year series Health and Health Care Innovation was launched in 2010 to crystallize new approaches to global health and health care in the face of emerging challenges.

“Salzburg Global Seminar has been bringing together outstanding health and healthcare leaders since 1978. We were delighted when the founding partners invited us to facilitate this groundbreaking network, which will foster crucial cross-border collaboration and innovation,” says Salzburg Global Program Director John Lotherington.

Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the UK’s Health Foundation and a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, having participated in Health and Health Care Innovation sessions Reforming Health Care: Maintaining Social Solidarity and Quality in the Face of Economic, Health and Social Challenges and The Greatest Untapped Resource in Healthcare? Informing and Involving Patients in Decisions about Their Medical Care, says: “We are excited to be supporting this unique and innovative network of health care leaders. During a time when our relationship with Europe is going through unprecedented transformation, we are delighted to be contributing to a health project that will build even stronger links with our European peers. Sciana is built around our common challenges that we face as European neighbors. It is an opportunity to foster and focus this talent and energy, for the benefit of our respective health care systems.”

“Careum aims to offer committed and interested health experts in positions of influence the opportunity to discuss important questions with their colleagues in an inspiring setting,” Hans Gut, president of the Swiss-based Careum Stiftung explains. “Members are expected to share their experiences and learn from one another. The international alumni network should help the Sciana members to keep in touch outside of the seminars.”

Bernadette Klapper, head department of health, Robert Bosch Stiftung in Germany, adds: “The Robert Bosch Stiftung is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions for future societies. For us, Sciana is more than three foundations working together and building an international network. It’s about bringing the right health care experts together, to find the solutions to tomorrow’s health challenges, today.”

A dedicated online platform has been launched for the Sciana networking including a website (www.sciananetwork.org), a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ScianaNetwork), and a Twitter page (www.twitter.com/ScianaNetwork), where you will find news about this groundbreaking collaboration.