Let’s get started - New Sciana members identify existing and future challenges

New members of Sciana: The Health Leaders Network have been encouraged to leave Salzburg with “a feeling of strategic intent” after meeting for the first time.

Eighteen outstanding health and health care leaders, including policymakers, practitioners, academics, and public sector leaders, have been welcomed to Sciana’s 2018 cohort.

Each member was chosen by the Network’s partner organisations: the Health Foundation, Careum Stiftung, and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

Salzburg Global Seminar is the delivery partner for the Network. As such, the cohort met at Schloss Leopoldskron, home of Salzburg Global, on Sunday afternoon to discuss the purpose of the Network, global trends affecting health and health care, and what could be achieved by working together for the next two years.

Before taking part in their first table discussions, members were encouraged to think of “alternative” issues affecting health and health care in the coming 15 years. Ideas such as algorithms, do-ability, commercialization and fragmentation were put forward.

When asked for their thoughts, a spokesperson for one table raised concerns about the impact of speed, immediacy, and digitalisation. They suggested there could be a need for a new way of thinking.

We know the mega-trends under the surface, however, and we know what we could do to tackle the problems. That view was put forward by a spokesperson for a different table. The difficulty lies, however, when political proccesses are stuck as a result of being caught in a “storm on the surface” and paradoxical situations.

A spokesperson for the final group indicated health care was only one piece of the puzzle for achieving positive well-being. Adding to this point, another member explained the fundamental core of well-being is the sense of being in control and having the sense of making your own judgments. He later said he was interested in exploring new ways of managing complex systems.

Members were informed Sciana provided them the opportunity to tackle a particular challenge. The Network exists to help members become better leaders but also provides ideas for these leaders to explore further.

Towards the end of their first afternoon, members were encouraged to come up with two challenges their cohort could address together. Organisers asked for responses to be formulated into questions.

Split into three cross-border groups, members came up with six questions to help guide the Network as to what issues should be investigated further.

These questions included:

• How does the interaction between digital transformation and human factor change the health system and affect well-being?
• What are the dimensions of a good health system in a complex, ageing and increasingly diverse society?
• How can we as leaders accelerate meaningful improvement in complex systems?
• How do we build capacity for families and communities?
• How do we really do what patients want or need?
• How do we implement the above given the views of interest groups, politicians, industries, and other outside bodies?

Members put forward several ideas as to how the cohort and Network could benefit further. One member called for regional government representatives to be present at future meetings, before highlighting the significance of speaking to people who had experience mobilising others.

As the meeting continues, members will reflect on the purpose of the Network and how to move forward.

They will spend their first full day in Salzburg exploring topics such as resilience, demographic change, and case studies in health innovation.

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