ABOUT

AIMS AND APPROACH

The conference aims to provide a better understanding into the functioning of markets and competition in the health sector, by clarifying concepts and objectives, sharing international experience and exploring relevant policy options.

The conference will primarily focus on the economics of health systems, analyzing market structure and functioning, institutional settings, financing and allocation mechanisms. It will draw on relevant evidence and experience from different countries in Europe, and in particular from the SEE region. Invited speakers will include health systems experts, specialized healthcare managers, market regulation specialists, and legal experts.

The conference is meant to be policy-oriented and interactive. Presenters will be asked to conceptually frame the subject, lay out the existing evidence, demonstrate with practical examples, outline and assess policy options. Participants will be involved to discuss the applicability of approaches and experiences provided to their concrete context.

The perspective of different actors in health systems will be built into this conference: health care providers and managers, health insurers, patients and different levels of government. It will be important not only to explore their respective roles in market-based health system, but also consider the capacities it requires and the potential implications for each one of them.

ORGANISATION AND TARGET AUDIENCE

The conference is organized by the Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF), a leading regional institution promoting capacity building in public financial management. The program is prepared jointly with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, one of the leading European evidence-brokering organizations in the health sector, together with Slovenian health authorities and experts.
Representatives from WHO EURO, the World Bank, the European Commission, and OECD will provide input to the conference.

The conference is primarily aimed for South-Eastern European countries, including CEF member countries (of which many are EU Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries). The conference has been designed for experts working in institutions responsible for health systems policy and reform, including ministries of health, ministries of finance and other ministries, regulatory bodies, health insurance institutions, but also opinion-leaders and representatives from the healthcare sector, academia and civil society.

Working language of the conference will be English.