BT Health speeches from World Health Care Congress EuropeThe World Health Care Congress in Berlin took place on the 10 - 12 March 2008 and was opened by BT Health managing director Patrick O’Connell. Patrick chaired a keynote panel alongside National Health Service (NHS) chief executive David Nicholson.
BT was the key sponsor of the congress - an international forum that offers government and industry leaders the chance to come together to discuss ways of improving the delivery of healthcare through innovation and sharing best practice.
During his opening presentation, Patrick set the context for three days’ intensive discussions by outlining some of the challenges facing healthcare providers around the world over the coming decades.
He said: “It is clear there are significant challenges to the improved delivery of health care - such as rising costs, mobile and ageing populations and a growing burden of chronic disease.
“There are also, however, significant opportunities with policy, innovative funding models, e-health technologies, increased patient engagement and the transition from a ‘sickness model’ to a ‘health and well being model’.”
He pointed out that health is an information-intensive sector - and that e-health offers a singular opportunity to advance the quality and efficiency of healthcare. “It ensures healthcare professionals have the right information at the right place at the right time,” he added.
Sir Jonathan Michael also chaired a series of plenary sessions on implementing national IT infrastructures. He made a keynote speech, giving an overview of some of the issues faced and said that both he and BT posess the experience to face the challenges ahead. He also gave an outline of the perceived hurdles, best practice and lessons BT had learned.
You can download both speeches here.
Sir Jonathan Michael - Chairman’s Opening Remarks "Implementing national IT infrastructures" 