From September 24 – 27, 2024, the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) will host a crucial gathering of health advocates, policymakers, and thought leaders, both in Gastein and online. The forum’s theme, “Shifting Sands of Health – Democracy, Demographics, Digitalisation,” highlights the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities shaping Europe’s health landscape.
The health community faces a pivotal moment as it navigates the profound changes driven by demographic shifts, rapid digitalisation, and the weakening of democratic decision-making. With a growing ageing population, lifestyle and food related health conditions affecting more and more young people, and mass scale immigration requiring culturally sensitive healthcare, our healthcare systems have to adapt quickly. There’s a lot more to think about when it comes to how democracy influences our healthcare systems too.
One notable area where we are witnessing the erosion of democratic governance in Europe is in the realm of healthcare funding. When budgets get cut or are improperly managed because of political uncertainties or lack of global peace, it is harder for the government to allocate adequate resources to healthcare institutions. This, in turn, leads to insufficient staffing, outdated equipment, and longer wait times for people seeking medical treatment. Vulnerable populations face barriers to accessing essential healthcare services, exacerbating existing health inequalities.
These interlinked forces are reshaping not only our societies but also the very foundations of healthcare systems. The EHFG 2024 forum will explore how to mobilise in this new landscape, addressing issues from workforce shortages and ageing populations to the ethical challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology in healthcare and seek to offer innovative solutions to these challenges.
The forum programme will also delve into the issue of longer lives but not necessarily healthier ones, and how new medical technology, AI and digital tools can support healthier habits and more efficient healthcare systems, while keeping in view the key considerations to ensure that technology does not exacerbate the existing healthcare inequalities.
Advocacy Action:
Registration for EHFG 2024 is open to anyone who can afford the fee, but the results of the deliberations will be reported. Look out for them and use them to help create a strong, fair, and lasting healthcare future for everyone. In 2024, nearly half of the world’s population will have the chance to vote. Take what you learn at EHFG 2024 and share it with the politicians running for office in your country’s upcoming elections. Have a healthy discussion with them so they can understand what the voters really need and want.