The Future Health Summit has been a fixture on the health conference calendar for more than two decades, and the unique event continues to go from strength to strength. Investnet, which runs and manages the summit, has been in existence for more than 25 years. Its chief executive, David Neville, says this longevity gives the summit an extra dimension, attracting senior leaders in healthcare and a distinguished line up of speakers.
“Over the years we have built strong relationships with policymakers in the public sector, as well as with industry, with academia and clinicians,” Neville says. “We get contacted all year round by people keen to be involved in the summit in some capacity.”
The meeting, which will once again take place at the Royal Dublin Convention Centre, is now at max capacity with around 700 attendees expected again this year. The sheer diversity of the delegates present is what gives the event its edge, Neville says.
“Throughout the year, Investnet runs events that focus on specific issues or areas like rehabilitation, sustainability in healthcare, or nursing homes for example, whereas this brings the whole wider ecosystem together to share ideas and talk about the issues they’re all facing together,” he says.
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“It is truly multi-stakeholder which means multifaceted solutions can be put forward and discussed by everyone present.” It also helps highlight the great work being done across the spectrum of healthcare to improve the patient journey and modernise the health service overall, he adds. “Feedback from attendees consistently notes how positive the event is overall – we are celebrating the health system as a very positive and dynamic sector.”
Again, that diversity means the Future Health Summit serves as a unique forum for networking in the health space, with many fruitful collaborations having been ignited following a conversation during the coffee break.
The summit invites both national and international thought leaders to present, and this allows for an exciting agenda. This year the newly-appointed chief executive of the HSE, Anne O’Connor, will be present, while her counterpart in NHS England, Sir James Mackey will also address delegates.
“They will obviously have a lot of common ground and the opportunity is there for them to work more closely together as Ireland begins to finally roll out the electronic health record,” Neville says.
Other speakers include Children’s Health Ireland chief executive Lucy Nugent; Derek Tierney, the assistant secretary for health infrastructure in the Department of Health; and Geraldine Boylan, professor of neonatal physiology at University College Cork.
The annual Future Health Summit Innovation Award, now in its 13th year, is presented to an emerging business that successfully integrates technology into their mission to improve healthcare quality. Previous winners include Akara Robotics, Inthelia, Therapeutics and ExWell Medical & Mobile Medical Diagnostics, who have gone from strength to strength following their respective wins. Supported by UPMC and Medtronic, the award allows shortlisted companies the chance to showcase their own brand of innovation.
The Fergus Clancy Bursary for Healthcare Leadership and Entrepreneurship will also be presented at the summit, and this offers the opportunity to pursue a fully funded master’s degree in healthcare leadership and be mentored by a senior leader in the sector.
Everyone in the health space is working towards a common goal – better outcomes for patients. That means harnessing technology to ensure the system can provide for increasing demand and more complex care. Neville notes that topical issues such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI), the implementation of an electronic health record and advanced diagnostics will be discussed in detail at the event.
“This is a time of profound transformational change for the health service and the Future Health Summit is extremely proud help drive that change forward.”
