Health is not just a personal value; it is a key national resource and, therefore, a strategic priority for all countries, as confirmed by the Zero Quadrant research.

The largest regional healthcare conference, HealthComm Forum, gathered leading global experts, medical professionals, pharmacists, healthcare managers, patients, and political representatives in one place. They all stressed the need to advance and establish a modern, efficient, accessible, and sustainable patient-centered healthcare system. However, they also highlighted that this change cannot come from just one source.

“Everyone within the system needs to understand what this change can bring for society, and then for them, and what new perspectives emerge from that change,” said Išek Međugorac.

Andrea Chiarello, EU Government Affairs Lead at Pfizer, emphasized the need to establish trust and partnership between representatives of innovative drug manufacturers and government officials. This is to ensure equal access to medications for all EU residents, while also gaining a better understanding of the complexity of this issue.

With the planned healthcare reform, the average waiting time on the waiting lists will decrease from 400 to 134 days.

AI algorithms improve the interpretation of images, enhancing the accuracy and speed of diagnosis for conditions such as breast cancer and lung nodules.

We spend 1.3 billion euros annually on medications for obesity-related illnesses alone, not including operations, radiological treatment, and rehabilitation. The most significant cost comes from not diagnosing obesity early, which is crucial for timely treatment to prevent complications.

For our healthcare systems to survive, at least as we know them today, we must start “de-implementing” ineffective treatments and strategies to focus on services that truly bring value to patients and society.

Healthcare was the top concern for Croatian citizens before the last parliamentary elections. They rated it poorly at 2.7, citing long waiting lists and slow adaptation to technology. Additionally, citizens have unhealthy lifestyle habits and shorter lifespans compared to other EU countries, ranking second to last in cancer mortality rates.

We are facing major health challenges, such as high cancer rates and a shorter average lifespan. This was the focus of a debate on April 9, 2024, highlighting the urgent need to improve the Croatian healthcare system.

There are fewer and fewer Croatian citizens, we are getting older and have a short life expectancy compared to other EU countries. At the same time, there are never greater opportunities for life in front of us due to increasingly advanced technological and scientific achievements.

For 56 percent of citizens, it is important to urgently resolve waiting lists, while 78 percent believe that the availability of new drugs is questionable.