Onassis Health Day 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of those historical events that lead to the acceleration of changes on a scientific, social, political and financial level. The “Healthcare Predictions and Challenges” conference aims to identify these changes, outline our adaptation to them, and explore the opportunities being opened up by these changes for patients, scientists and legislators.

The conference agenda consists of three main sessions. Each session in turn consists of individual presentations and culminates in a short wrap-up by the moderators and a discussion based on key questions raised by the audience. Expert scientists and researchers, academics, politicians and health market representatives share their knowledge and concerns at the point where health policy meets civil society in the post-pandemic era. At a time when public health has become a major political issue, we choose to discuss about the health system of the next 20 years, convincingly highlight the necessity to listen to science and rationality, and understand this new, emerging, digital era. One of the highlights will be the presentation by Dr. Drew Weissman, whose innovative research has made it possible to safely develop mRNA vaccines, which are globally used against COVID-19.

The first session is focused on the pandemic as a catalyst for changes on an individual, social, health policy and medical research level. Urged by the political, administrative and medical challenge of responding to the pandemic, we will explore the assets developed in this process on an individual, public health policy, medical research and global cooperation level. We will discuss issues regarding public health and the outbreak of the pandemic in the 21st century, prevention and treatment of pandemics through the mRNA technology, and the prospect of facing future pandemics, as well as investments in the health sector and international cooperation. Furthermore, the first session will deal with the new entrepreneurship patterns that have emerged during the COVID-19 period, and the consequences of the pandemic on both the society and mental health.

The second session is centered on one of the most pertinent issues of our times in relation to healthcare, namely the digital transformation of healthcare, focusing on the use of disruptive technologies, information and data. Besides, digital transformation of healthcare lies at the core of the work that is carried out by Onassis Foundation, with Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center becoming the first completely digital hospital in Greece. Discussion will focus on digital health and how it shapes public health infrastructure and market both nationally and internationally. Through data analysis for the development of smart diagnostic algorithms, improvement of remote access to medical image and information data, adjustment of systems, providers and businesses to the future, elimination of distance between patients and healthcare professionals, discovery of new treatments and in-depth understanding of the revolution of gene analysis, digital transformation guides patients, healthcare professionals, health market and systems towards the personalised medicine of the 21st century.

The final session focuses on the case of Greece. Building on the insights gained from both previous sessions, this session will seek to outline the opportunities that are opened up for us in relation to the Greek health system. The importance of a quality health system, financial restrictions, rapid adaptation of institutions and professionals to the ongoing changes, human resources as a driver for the improvement of the services offered, and the dynamic adaptation to the digital future are brought together under the need for a sustainable, people-centered and clinically efficient health system. The third session will end with the presentation of the report on the National Plan for Solid Organ Donation and Transplantation in Greece.

10:35 - 10:50 | The health system in Greece after the pandemic

Elias Mossialos, Professor of Health Policy, LSE, Professor of Health Administration Services, Medical School, Imperial College London, Onassis Foundation Scholar

10:50 - 11:05 | Prevention and treatment of pandemics: The mRNA technique and the prospect of dealing with future pandemics

Drew Weissman (MD, PhD), Roberts Family Professor of Vaccine Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

11:05 - 11:20 | From Global to National: Investment in health and transnational partnerships

Marianna Trias, WHO Representative to Greece and Head of WHO Country Office at World Health Organization

11:20 - 11:35 | Research & innovation in the Covid Age

Christos Dimas, Deputy Minister for Development and Investments, Onassis Foundation Scholar

11:35 - 11:50 | Mental health or Covid-19: the next day / The certainties built in times of uncertainty

Dimitris Karagiannis, Psychiatrist-psychotherapist, Professor, Frederick University, Cyprus

11:50 - 12:05 | Wrap-up (Q & A)

12:05 - 12:35 | Break

12:40 - 12:55 | Digital Health as a Digital Governance target

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of State and Digital Governance

12:55 - 13:10 | Digital Health – A Medical Device Perspective

David Carr, Regional Vice President Austria, Germany, Greece, Israel & Switzerland, Medtronic

13:10 - 13:25 | The contribution of artificial intelligence & data science in Health

Yannis Ioannidis, Professor of Informatics & Telecommunications, University of Athens, Former President & General Manager, Athena Research Center

13:25 - 13:40 | Serving the global genetics community

Andreas Massouras, CEO & Founder of Saphetor

13:40 - 13:55 | Remote Medicine

Periklis Giovas, Medical Director Amgen Hellas

13:55 - 14:05 | A glimpse into the future of digital healthcare (video)

Siemens Healthineers

14:05 - 14:20 | Transforming lives with AI – Healthcare wins with Digital Twins

Simos Kokkovos, Digital Health Services Manager, Siemens Healthineers

14:20 - 14:35 | Wrap-up (Q & A)

14:35 - 15:00 | Break

15:05 - 15:20 | Strengthening the NHS during the pandemic - Guide for the necessary reforms in the health system

Vassilis Kontozamanis, Former Deputy Minister of Health

15:20 - 15:35 | Health strategy in the midst of the pandemic and the next day in the public Health System

Andreas Xanthos, Member of the Hellenic Parliament, Shadow Minister for Health SYRIZA-PΑ, Former Minister of Health

15:35 - 15:50 | | Health Professionals Training 2021: Virtual and augmented reality, robotics and big data bioinformatics

Eleftherios Tsiridis, Professor and Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, President of the European Hip Society, Onassis Foundation Scholar

15:50 - 16:05 Leadership in improving health services

Vassilios Balanis, CEO National Organization for Quality Assurance in Health (ODIPY S.A.)

16:05 - 16:20 | | Case Study: Evidence-based National Plan for Transplants

Vassilios Papalois, Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Imperial College London

16:20 - 16:35 | Wrap-up (Q & A)