Marking European University Hospital Alliance fifth anniversary

On 2 and 3 June, the European University Hospital Alliance (EUHA) celebrated its fifth anniversary with a symposium at University Hospitals Leuven.

EUHA was formed in 2017 when the leaders of nine university hospitals met in Barcelona to discuss how they were managing academic medicine and the challenges facing European healthcare systems.  All were convinced of the need and the potential of more interaction between their institutions.

Fast forward five years later, EUHA involves more than 200 professionals from nine members, including King’s Health Partners, who interact regularly across a wide diversity of different projects.  

The Alliance strives to represent the diversity and the capabilities of European university hospitals and seeks to support its members in the mutual development of their services for patients all over Europe.

These members with clinical, research, or educational roles:

• share best practices in patient care and hospital management fields;
• align on strategies to challenges in academic medicine;
• try to find common ground in the complex European landscape of differing national regulatory and legal context; and
• collaborate in joint research and development projects.

During the fifth anniversary symposium EUHA looked back at what it has achieved in many different fields. These included scientific and clinical collaboration, improving patient care, interaction with the European Commission, and tackling common problems together.

As part of the event, a CEO roundtable was organised to discuss the priorities for collaboration within EUHA in the context of the developing European health union.

During the plenary Thursday afternoon meeting, EUHA showcased the achievements of its working groups and networks, such as European research projects, starting a joint clinical trial of CAR-T Cells and the next steps in the benchmarking of the breast cancer care process.

This symposium also gave the opportunity for many EUHA working groups and networks to meet in person.

Looking forward, EUHA members discussed priorities for common action, including the healthcare workforce, quality of care standards, and the harmonisation of healthcare data standards. A decision was also made to strengthen the EUHA central structures and meet more frequently to support better the multiple existing and newly initiated projects.

Lynn Seveke, EUHA Alliance Manager said:

I am very pleased that so many colleagues attended the EUHA celebrations in Leuven and could finally again meet in person. It’s been great to see everyone’s enthusiasm, and this will strengthen our collaborations.

To find out more about EUHA visit https://www.euhalliance.eu/