WISH presents research findings at Global Health Policy briefing

Joint WISH and Health Affairs Forum draws more than 200 industry experts.

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) presented its evidence-based research to nearly 200 top experts at an exclusive global health policy briefing hosted by Health Affairs in Washington D.C. on June 14.

The forum, entitled ‘Global Health: Patient Safety, Cancer Care, Universal Health Coverage and Innovation’, explored major issues confronting the global health community and coincided with the journal’s publication and distribution of a compendium of articles that originated with WISH 2015. The papers addressed four major issues confronting the global health community: how to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases; how to improve access to vaccines in low and middle-income countries; how to achieve universal health coverage; and how to accelerate the diffusion of healthcare innovation. Each of the papers in the collection was originally published in Health Affairs over the past year.

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At the event, which was held at the National Press Club, Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief, Alan Weil told the audience: “We’re excited that the work we’re presenting here is supported through a multi-year relationship with Qatar Foundation and its World Innovation Summit for Health. We also have support from Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medical and Research Center, and Imperial College London. This relationship has been very productive in terms of content and the ability to disseminate important information to a US and to a global audience. We’re particularly pleased this year to have put together a compendium of papers. As you’ll see as you look through the contents of this volume, the papers we are presenting cover a broad range of issues. This is truly a major step forward in taking lessons learned in one or two countries and putting them together to improve our understanding, not only of health policy and practice in individual countries around the globe, but to improve the flow of information and learning from country to country.”

WISH leadership and WISH research forum chairs served key roles in the briefing, moderating discussions and speaking about their respective areas of healthcare expertise. They included Sir David Nicholson, Former Chief Executive of the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, and Chair of WISH Universal Health Coverage Forum 2014; Victor Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, and Chair of WISH Precision Medicine Forum 2016; Peter Pronovost, Senior Vice President for Patient Safety and Quality, Director of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Chair of WISH Patient Safety Forum 2015; and Mark McClellan, Director of the Robert J Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Margolis Professor of Business, Medicine and Health Policy at Duke University, and Chair of WISH Accountable Care Forum 2013 and 2016.

Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, IGHI Director and Executive Chair of WISH, said: “The main aspiration of WISH is the dissemination of research output and the real drive is to translate some of these ideas into real practical applications on the front line. So, it’s always wonderful to come to Washington for this event and to see WISH’s outputs reach a truly global audience through their publication in one of the best and highest impact journals in policy.”

Egbert Schillings, CEO of WISH, moderated a panel discussion on cancer care. He said: “"Our mission is to influence health policy at the highest levels, using the best available evidence. When we are invited to do just that in Washington, DC by the premier academic journal in this space, then we know that we are truly living our purpose as a program. The partners who joined us at the National Press Club represent some of the greatest leaders and thinkers in the world of health policy. All of them as committed as we are to creating a healthier world through global collaboration and we look forward to writing the next chapter in Doha this November."

After delivering his presentation on patient safety, Dr. Victor Dzau said: “This is a wonderful forum that brings knowledgeable individuals, scholars and leaders together to discuss some of the most important issues we face in health and healthcare. The scope of the topics is just right on: Healthcare quality and innovation is critically important and I’ve learned a lot from it.”

Mark McClellan, who spoke on the “Innovation in Healthcare” panel said: “This forum brought together a range of perspectives with really good ideas on how to improve care and reduce costs and achieve the goals that we truly all believe in when it comes to healthcare reform. Through forums like this we can exchange ideas much more rapidly and effectively and we are getting to an era where just about any country can learn from something going on in other parts of the world.”