An international seminar, organized under the framework of the Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program.
The seminar will be conducted in English and took place in a picturesque location in Giurgiu County, close to Bucharest.
The program will begin on Thursday afternoon and will be concluded on Saturday afternoon.

Reimagining Healthcare: Structural and Paradigm Shifts for a Resilient Future

The healthcare sector is undergoing rapid transformations, shaped by financial reforms, hospital management challenges, the rise of digital and AI-driven health solutions, and the evolving role of research and clinical trials. This seminar aims to explore these paradigm shifts, facilitating discussions that connect academic, economic, technological, and policy perspectives to create a more resilient and effective healthcare system.

Over two and a half days, the seminar will bring together key stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry leaders, to engage in in-depth conversations on four key pillars:

  1. Financing the Future of Healthcare

Sustainable healthcare financing requires a shift toward performance-based payment models, optimizing resources while ensuring equitable access to medical services. Recent policy proposals emphasize updating the DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group) system, aligning hospital funding with actual care provided, and reducing inefficiencies in spending. Beyond traditional public financing, hospitals must explore alternative revenue sources, leveraging outpatient services, specialized care, and strategic partnerships. A stronger focus on preventive care and early detection can drive long-term cost savings while improving patient outcomes. This session will explore these paradigm shifts, aiming to create a more transparent, efficient, and sustainable healthcare funding model for Romania.

  1. Rethinking Hospital Management and Patient-Centered Models

The Romanian healthcare system will have to undergo a fundamental shift from a doctor-centered model to a hospital-centered system, where patients are the responsibility of the institution rather than individual physicians. A key component of this transformation is the introduction of a regulated dual practice model, allowing doctors to balance public and private practice under clear guidelines. This session will explore the prerequisites for implementing this model, including hospital autonomy, equitable patient distribution, and performance-based incentives, while highlighting its potential benefits—enhanced institutional efficiency, reduced informal payments, and improved patient access to care.

  1. Strengthening Hospital-Led Clinical Research

Clinical trials and academic research represent not only a pathway for medical innovation but also a potential financial resource for hospitals in Romania. This session will explore how hospitals and health institutions can take on a more central role in clinical trials, shifting from investigator-driven initiatives to an institutional approach that integrates research into hospital management strategies. Discussions will focus on better training for hospital managers to understand the value of research, streamline trial administration, and ensure that clinical studies become a core function of the healthcare system, rather than isolated efforts.

  1. AI, and the European Health Data Space: Regulation, Ethics, and Future Challenges

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare, balancing innovation, regulation, and ethical considerations is more critical than ever. This session will explore the European AI Act, the European Health Data Space (EHDS), and the implications of AI-driven decision-making in medicine. Alongside an analysis of Asimov’s vision of all-powerful AI, we will discuss how legal and technical frameworks shape the use, risks, and safeguards of AI in healthcare. With expert insights from a legal and a technical specialist, we will navigate the complex intersection of policy, technology, and ethics, aiming to understand the future of AI in healthcare while ensuring transparency, accountability, and patient safety.

Bringing together key stakeholders from the Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program Community, we will use the Aspen Method to create a group as diverse as possible in terms of sectors (public – including decision-makers from relevant Ministries and agencies, Parliament Committees, political parties etc.; private, non-profit, academia), professional background (including experts in public health, finance, macroeconomics etc.) and gender.

The Seminar will bring together around 25 – 30 participants and will combine expert presentations, group work, experience-sharing sessions, case studies and workshops on the topics relating to public policies, reforms and sustainability in the healthcare sector, focusing on the interaction between the main public, private, academic and non-governmental actors in the healthcare system.