the future of Healthcare & Technology – “the patient empowered”, April 2004

Club of Amsterdam

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Supporter
PricewaterhouseCoopers

For the quality of a person’s life good health ranks very high in priority. Good healthcare to cure health problems and care for those that suffer temporary or chronic diseases or disabilities is a prime requirement in society. Today and tomorrow. We spend approx. 10 % of GNP on healthcare.

When we look ahead to the future (some 10 -15 years) many questions can be raised about the healthcare and technology. What impact will science and technology have on healthcare services, the role of the professional healthcare worker and the patient? If technology and science enable us to lengthen our lifespan, will that enhance the quality of life? Will technology take over the functions of our body? Will we be able to live to the age of 150 or even 200? What ethical questions can be raised when we breathe and our heart pumps, but we are no longer able to function in society? Will there still be a natural death or will we all use a pill to end our lives when we feel life is no longer worthwhile living?

Will science and technology (for instance biotech) give us full insight in the functioning of our genes? Will we be able to manufacture medicines to solve diseases like cancer and will we be able to fight viruses like sars? When the world’s population growths according to forecasts, how will we be able to provide basic healthcare services for all? How can we prevent children dying? How can we prevent elderly to suffer from heath and malnutrition?

The Club of Amsterdam aims to bring visionary speakers together on the 28th of April to address these questions from a variety of perspectives: the patient’s perspective, the health workers perspective, the science and technology perspective and the organizational perspective on healthcare services. Based on these experts’ inputs a lively discussion is triggered to generate fresh ideas on how to shape the future of Healthcare & Technology to enhance the quality of our lives?