HealthManagement, Volume 13, Issue 4/2011
During the annual congress of the Austrian Association of Hospital Directors in Graz in May 2011, roughly 300 participants and healthcare decision makers gathered to focus on the changing times and important consequences for the hospital industry. Expert speakers highlighted innovative and pragmatic approaches. The main conclusion was to learn from one another and develop solutions with dedicated initiative.
Hospital 2.0: The Perpetual Beta Version. What Does This Mean?
Nowadays almost nothing is permanent. Constant changes and new organisational structures in hospitals are commonplace. "These often short-lived changes must however be observed critically. Not every new method is suitable, often the previous one hasn't even been properly implemented yet," said Dir. Nikolaus Koller, MBA – President of the Austrian Association of Hospital Directors, Styria.
Dr. Andrea Kdolsky, retired Federal Minister, provided insights into health reform with the lecture "Political Restraints of Reforms", the speakers Mag. Dr. Jörg Schelling from the Main Association of Social Insurance Institutions and Dr. Michael Heinisch ventured another glimpse into the future with the lectures "The Future of Healthcare - Structures, Reforms and Opportunities 2020" and "Organisational Optimisation by Consolidation". Ernst Fartek, Financial Director of Stmk. Krankenanstaltenges. m.b.H., spoke on the topic of "Management in the Hospital Association, integrated alongside each other and with each other."
Beta Version
Our system never fully develops. Before one organisational change can be established or a management structure can prove itself, it is restructured again in the middle of the test phase. It is irrelevant whether they are consolidations, consortia, merged departments, regional management etc, there are very few things that achieve stability and can be developed into a perfected "marketable late Alpha version".
Hospital 2.0: A Deliberate Association with IT
Development is constantly taking place in IT and it is often so rapid that the next version is already on the market before the previous or original version could be perfected. We as hospitals are also subject to the pressure to change from both system theorists and economic forces. Slowly but surely we are treading the same path as IT, quick and dirty or better still trial and error.
"Who is Who" Among Local Austrian Hospital Logistics Providers
Over 40 exhibitors from Austria and Germany displayed their products and services in the accompanying business trade fair. Market leading companies were represented.
All presentations and documents can also be read online at: www.khd-kongress2011.at
