Plenary speakers announced for the 46th World Hospital Congress
19 July 2023
The International Hospital Federation (IHF) is pleased to announce the speakers for the plenary sessions of the 46th World Hospital Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, on 25–27 October 2023.
On day 1 of the programme, the plenary session will address key issues and opportunities for leaders in the healthcare sector with a session called 'Contemporary leadership: For the challenges of today… and tomorrow'. The panel is composed of Mr John Haupert (President & CEO, Grady Health System, USA) acting as moderator to the panel members: Dr Zeenat Sulaiman Khan (Regional Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Health Service, Tanzania), Prof. Dr Björn Zoëga (CEO, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden), and Dr Muna Abdul Razzaq Tahlak (Chief Medical Officer, DAHC and Vice Provost Clinical Affairs, MBRU; CEO, Latifa Women & Children Hospital, UAE). Dr Muna Tahlak, who is also the IHF's President-Elect, stated the importance of Plenary 1 in today’s healthcare context:
"The IHF World Hospital Congress brings together leaders in the healthcare sector to translate global learning into local action. In Plenary 1, we will share insights into the importance of developing the next generation of leaders and exploring successful "contemporary" leadership styles. It is timely, in that the IHF has just released its Global Healthcare Leadership Competency Model 2023, reflecting the competencies required of our current and future leaders."
On day 2, the plenary 'Employee wellbeing: Leading with our people as a priority' will discuss the essential theme of ensuring that those who deliver healthcare are able to do so in a safe and sustainable way, and how healthcare leaders can support the wellbeing of the workforce. The panel will be composed of Prof. Arnon Afek (Associate Director General, Sheba Medical Center, Israel), Dr Graccho Alvim (Director, AHERJ - Associação dos Hospitais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Mr Pedro Delgado (Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, USA), Dr Henry Gallardo (Director General of Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (FSFB), Colombia), and chaired by Dr Sangita Reddy (Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, India).
Dr Sangita Reddy invites all Congress participants to join the conversation:
"The pressures around workforce wellbeing are universal in health systems worldwide. We must come together to learn from one another and exchange good practices in order to address the expected shortages of healthcare workers - estimated at 10 million by 2028 - unless we address retention, recruitment, and wellbeing for those who make hospital healthcare delivery possible. We must start working on harmonization of degrees and globalization of health care workforce."
On day 3, the plenary called 'Net zero in healthcare: Call to action from around the world' will look at how healthcare leaders can address the sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow to become climate leaders and improve the wellbeing of communities everywhere. The line-up of speakers includes Dr Wen-Jin Cherng (Superintendent, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan), Mrs Toseef Din (CEO, M P Shah Hospital, Kenya), Mrs Mubaraka Ibrahim (Acting CIO, Information Sector, Emirates Health Services, UAE), Mr Miguel Paiva (CEO, Centro Hospitalar Entre Douro e Vouga, Portugal), Dr Karan Thakur (Vice President - Sustainability & Public Affairs, Apollo Hospitals Group, India), as well as Dr Jonathan Perlin (President & CEO, The Joint Commission Enterprise, USA). Dr Perlin will chair the session and shares how this plenary will support participants to understand how to embed sustainability in healthcare delivery:
"Decarbonization is an environmental issue, but also a health, healthcare equity and social justice issue. Increasingly, healthcare leaders are acknowledging that it is part of their leadership role to address these interconnected priorities. Plenary 3 will give congress attendees the benefit of experience from their peers who have led the way in becoming climate leaders, with insightful examples on how a range of actions can make a difference towards achieving environmental sustainability in healthcare."
In addition to the core programme focused on main trends in healthcare management, at the 46th Congress the IHF will introduce the i-to-i Innovation Hub to showcase cutting-edge innovations from across the globe. The solutions featured at the Hub will demonstrate their impact in moving i-to-i ("from innovation to implementation") in hospital and healthcare-delivery settings. The IHF will present the Hub in collaboration with the UK Department for Business and Trade, and Stanford Medicine.
Furthermore, a special gala dinner and ceremony for winners of the 2023 IHF Awards will be held on 26 October - always a highlight of the programme. In 2023, over 500 nominations were received from 43 countries and territories. The finalists across all 7 Awards categories will be selected and announced in August ahead of the Awards ceremony at the Congress.
To secure your place at the 46th World Hospital Congress, the best rates offered with early bird registration are available until 31 July 2023 - register here. Discounts are also available for registrants coming from low and lower-middle-income countries, and groups of 5 or more.