Since 2019, the Data Saves Lives initiative by the European Patients Forum has been vital for the important discussion about the digital transformation of healthcare and social services in Europe – and the key role of patient voices in all those evolutions. By ensuring data is accurate, secure, and accessible, the initiative helps address public health challenges, particularly in low-resource settings. In this context, ongoing debate about AI is crucial, as it addresses concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the ethical implications of AI-driven decision-making in healthcare.

So in November 26-27, EPF marked the 5th Anniversary of the Data Saves Lives initiative to further emphasize the critical role of data in improving healthcare outcomes, advocating for the responsible use of personal health information to guide medical decisions and enhance patient care. The event gathered a great mix of patient advocates, data science experts, regulators, ngo representatives, policy makers and more.

NWA participated with having Lars Münter both being in a debate panel on Data Savvy Patients: Empowerment through AI Literacy in Healthcare with Anca Toma, CEO of EPF and Ildiko Vajda of the Dutch Patient Organisation, Eric Sutherland of the OECD and – Stefan Phillips, OneVision Healthcare. And by facilitating a workshop on the importance of education in enhancing trust (in data, health, collaboration etc).

27/12/2024, Brussels – Data Saves Lives 2024 – European Patients’ Forum EPF
© Elio Germani 2024

Digitalisation and digital transformation has been at the core of the EHiN conference for a decade – a growing event for partners in and outside the Nordics to understand the evolution and challenges of both Nordic, European, and global e-health possibilities and realities.

NWA participated and facilitated a debate about linking welfare and the wellbeing economy with Bengt Andersson from the Nordic Wellfare Centre, Christian Boel from Aarhus Municipality (DK), and Helle Sörensen Östersund Municipality (SE) – a great dive in the paths towards implementation of next generation health policies and practices at local level.

Read more about speakers, programme, and presentations at the EHiN website here.

Photo courtesy of EHiN / Ard Jongsma, Still Words Photography.

What do doctors need to know? Obviously a lot. And building the right curricula for doctors is one of the core functions of medical schools across the globe. Science, experience, technology, demographics, and climate too change over time. So must the curricula for doctors.

This is the background for the conference of AMSE2024 with theme of “Educating for patient-centred and community-engaged healthcare”.

Held by AMSE, The Association of Medical Schools in Europe and organized by the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Thessaloniki , Greece, on 17-19 October 2024, NWA was present to contribute with a presentation on the urgency of medical schools to also include elements about wellbeing economy.

We also had the great opportunity to meet with the amazing team at PsyLab at the Institute for Applied Bioscience at CERTH – so many exciting possibilities in and from their multidisciplinary approach to digital development and the future of health technology.