On 20 June 2018 the 6th edition of the Health Summit congress, organized by the Institute of Health Protection in cooperation with the National Institute of Public Health – PZH, was held. This year’s edition promoted the slogan: Economics, Economy, Health – Role of Human Capital as the Basis for the Socio-economic Development of the Country. Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, who participated in the summit, was a panelist in the session entitled “Private sector, Public Sector of Service Providers – Place and Importance in the Modern Healthcare System”.

Panelists discussed, among others the importance of occupational medicine in the healthcare system, the place of health in the innovative state economy, the importance of epidemiological and economic models in the decision-making process, as well as the role of the private and public sectors in the modern healthcare system.

Participants of the panel dedicated to cooperation between the private and public sectors indicated that the main challenge for the private sector are contracting problems, while the public sector must reasonably manage and use financial resources.

– Cooperation between the private and public sectors in the healthcare is essential. If we go back several or several dozens of years, it turns out that the private sector has changed public hospitals forever – in the context of quality of services, efficiency and availability. It has also made us realize that the treatment means expenses. It has showed that it is possible to treat patients faster, better and for less – said Prof. Henryk Skarżyński during the discussion – Suddenly it turned out that in public hospitals there are not too few but too many beds for patients, because patients with minor illnesses did not have to stay at hospitals for many days. Both the private and public sectors expect a better healthcare system. Many things should be changed. Patients should receive better services in a shorter time, and politicians should not promise unrealistic things, because changes occur as a process. We should remember that health is our capital, and we must also change our attitude to habits – added Prof. Skarżyński.

Health Summit 2018 Congress took place under the honorary patronage of the Ministry of Health, the event was attended by high-ranking managers, politicians, officials, representatives of the public sector, the world of business and ngos.