Over the last decade, healthcare landscapes around the world have changed dramatically due to demographic and epidemiological shifts, technological innovations and rising consumer expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the surface overlooked weaknesses that call for a major rethink of the healthcare sector. The New Health Economy refers to changes in the traditional dynamics of the healthcare sector as a result of accelerating innovation in both the practice and the delivery of health services.
Entrepreneurial activities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups play an important role in catalyzing innovation within the health sector. New ventures have fueled a wave of new healthcare technologies using big data, artificial intelligence, robotics and much more. Such ventures have already raised significant amounts of finance, but more investment is needed to help especially developing countries exploit the opportunities of the New Health Economy to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare, and the access to health services for their populations.
This session will showcase some of the latest developments in the use of technology to improve health services for all. It will discuss the role of private financiers and investors, and the potential for partnerships with the public sector to expand new health services in developing countries. And it will attempt to identify effective policy approaches to maximize the benefits of the New Health Economy for the poorest populations.
Session themes:
- How can New Health Economy technologies improve the quality of and access to health services in developing countries?
- How can public policies help transform healthcare systems and introduce a mindset change towards innovation?
- What investments are needed to transform the healthcare sector in a country and make it more inclusive and efficient?
Speaker(s)
