Distinguished Experts:
First of all, I would like to extend my warm welcome to all of you for finding time in your busy schedules to be part of this important consultation. This is of particular interest to me too, as I had been managing big hospitals in Korea and know not from the books what does it take.
For years the WHO’s strategic focus has been on Primary Health Care. This focus remains unchanged and we continue emphasizing the importance of PHC in the architecture of overall health systems. But it is hospitals that are key to service delivery in terms of volume of consultations, money spent and quality of clinical outcomes.
The emphasis on reforming hospitals is well in line with increasing demand from Member States who would like WHO and partners support the hospital sector development in such areas as strategic planning, regulation, management skills, efficiency, performance monitoring and accountability.
This consultation is exactly aiming at that: to review latest trends and challenges the hospitals face in the Western Pacific Region; identify and prioritize potential areas for WHO and partners to get engaged; and, not less importantly, identify gaps in our collective knowledge, which may need further examination.
We call this consultation informal as we want first a “free” talk among our friends and colleagues about what works and what does not in building stronger hospital institutions, before we take this consultation at another level and consult with countries in a more formal way.
This discussion is not so much about what to do – the numerous textbooks have been already written about this – but rather about how, taking into account complexities of country backgrounds and variety of policy circumstances. Besides, zooming in and out on hospitals can help in better understanding interconnectedness of hospitals with the rest of the health system as well as analyse issues pertinent to hospitals’ internal organizational development.
This is not an easy task, particularly in the light of enormous diversity we observe within and between countries of the region. Some hospitals are small, under equipped, and under-utilized, while others are high tech, crowded, and super-specialized. Some hospitals are already Autonomous, while others Centralized and tightly controlled. Some hospitals are truly Accountable in serving population needs, while some other may be oriented to serve doctors needs and as well as be profit oriented.
Let’s be honest and let’s challenge our conventional wisdom. Sometimes I think that simply what Hospitals need is Discipline. Discipline in terms of hospital’s own organization and functioning, but also Discipline in terms of overall regulatory environment within which Hospitals operate. I want to hear more on that and whether my thinking resonates with that of yours.
One way or another, hospitals have to change and adapt to changing environments, evolving burden of disease, aging, rapid urbanization, as well as rising incomes, costs and expectations.
Again, the purpose of my opening remark is not to pre-empt any rich discussion we all are being invited to be part of. I just wanted to highlight some of the key questions we would like to address.
I wish this meeting all the success in deliberating these important issues and would like to reassure that WPRO will be serious about following up on the results of this consultation with a wider consultation, involving representatives of Member States.
Thank you.