GUBERNA Hospital Governance Forum 2024

To organise accessible, affordable, and high-quality care for patients and to ensure the sustainability of healthcare in the future, there is a focus on optimising the use of available resources. Issues such as suboptimal scale, fragmentation, excessive competition, overconsumption, and the limitations of the funding model necessitate scale expansion and efficiency gains. Collaboration and leveraging synergies are seen as essential in this context.

In 2019, the 'Belgisch Staatsblad' published the Network Law, which mandates that hospitals must be part of a hospital network. The results of this collaboration present a mixed picture. Some networks experience limited cooperation, with hospitals remaining insular, while others engage in active collaboration, including mergers. There are even discussions about a causal link, a merger wave inspired by the shortcomings identified within the network framework.

During the 7th edition of the GUBERNA Hospital Governance Forum, we will explore various aspects of hospital mergers. What are the potential benefits? What governance issues and challenges do mergers present? What governance structures are necessary to ensure successful integration? How can we safeguard the interests of all stakeholders, from patients and caregivers to partners and the broader community?

This event provides a unique platform for healthcare professionals, administrators, academics, and policymakers to share knowledge, experiences, and practical insights on the governance of hospital mergers.

We look forward to welcoming you to this inspiring event!