🏥 Love thy neighbour: Why it’s time to say so long to silos and how we can make it happen - By Henry Stoneley

By Light-it, sponsored by HLTH Europe, written by Henry Stoneley, Head of Health Systems & Providers, HLTH Europe

There may be some debate around it, but most scholars agree that the pharaoh-healing Sekhet'enanch was the first recorded physician, some 5,557 years ago.

Even then, had medical journalism existed, and you’d scrolled down to the opinion section of the papyrus, you’d have seen the following sentence:

‘Healthcare is at a crossroads’.

And yet…it is, isn’t it? Once again. Healthcare has found itself at yet another crossroads, on a roadmap that can only realistically have been designed by MC Escher.

Waterfall, 1961 by M.C. Escher

These crossroads, or challenges, have all at one point in time seemed insurmountable. Fragmented systems, inequities in access, and the urgent need for innovation; these have always demanded bold, decisive, action. But the industry has never had the ability to do anything about it. Until now.

For decades, healthcare systems have operated in silos. Hospital systems, primary care providers, pharmaceutical companies, insurers, and innovators working in isolation, each striving to address critical challenges but frequently duplicating efforts or missing opportunities to create that most awful of buzzwords - synergy.

The boundaries of these silos are largely artificial - created to protect and defend, but often only succeed in stifling progress and leaving millions without equitable access to care. The inefficiencies they conjure up are more than just numbers - they are lives affected, potential lost, opportunity wasted.

However, the tides are shifting. Across Europe, there is growing recognition that we must break down these silos to create systems that are more interconnected, efficient, and equitable.

There is simply no need for fabulous French healthtech to get to the Pyrenees, give a Gallic shrug, and retreat to the comfort of home. Brilliant British Biotechs should strive to hop over the channel and spread their European wings. A surge of Scandinavian startups, scrambling into the sunny slopes of southern Europe dispensing Nordic nicknacks should be the goal, not some ludicrous pipedream.

We’re neighbours, and yet too often we act as though the healthcare problems of Nation A cannot learn from those of people mere meters across a border.

The future of healthcare depends on our ability to foster collaboration, embrace innovation, and act decisively. But where do we start?

The power of partnership in healthtech

Collaboration is more than a buzzword; it’s a transformative force. And despite that entire sentence being made up of buzzwords, it remains true. When we unite - across sectors, disciplines, and borders- we can tackle complex challenges that no single entity could solve alone.

Consider the recent strides made in harnessing artificial intelligence in healthcare. Innovations that leverage AI for diagnostics, treatment personalization, and operational efficiency are often the result of collaboration between tech companies, healthcare providers, and policymakers. These partnerships exemplify how breaking down silos accelerates progress and saves lives. Look ahead to the EHDS (when it eventually becomes a thing and not just a thing people talk about at events as being potentially transformative). We’re moving that way.

HLTH Europe: A platform for transformation

At HLTH Europe, we believe the solutions to healthcare’s greatest challenges already exist within the minds of today’s leaders and innovators. What’s missing is a space to bring those minds together - to share ideas, forge partnerships, and catalyze action.

HLTH Europe is more than an event; it’s a movement. Taking place from 16-19 June 2025 at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam, HLTH Europe is the premier platform for connecting the brightest minds in healthcare innovation. Here, decision-makers, trailblazers, and thought leaders gather to:

• Explore bold ideas and transformative solutions.

• Build meaningful collaborations that drive lasting impact.

• Address critical questions such as:

  • How do we dismantle the barriers to progress?

  • What steps are needed to make healthcare more equitable and efficient?

  • How can innovation be harnessed to serve everyone, everywhere?

Why your voice matters

As a leader in healthcare, your expertise and vision are essential to this transformation. History remembers those who dared to challenge the norm and shape the future. By joining HLTH Europe, you position yourself at the heart of this change - part of a collective effort to redefine what’s possible in healthcare.

Join us at HLTH Europe

The stakes have never been higher, and the time for action is now. We invite you to be part of this extraordinary gathering of changemakers. Together, we can break down silos, create lasting partnerships, and transform healthcare for the better. Mark your calendars for 16-19 June 2025, at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam.

Your voice, your vision, and your expertise are the catalysts for the future we need. Let’s shape that future together. Learn more and register today.

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