Making the future of health ambitious and actionable

Across the three events, one question kept surfacing: how can health systems turn promising ideas into better health and everyday care? The discussions pointed to the need for long-term investment, evidence-led implementation and a fuller account of how health affects people, economies and society.

Opening the conference, Olivér Várhelyi, the EU’s health and animal-welfare commissioner, delivered a stark warning: the future of healthcare systems depends on choices made today.

Future of Health: helping people live well

Discussions on ageing challenged the idea that longevity must mean chronic ill health. With more than one in five people in the EU aged over 65, speakers made the case for prevention and investment that helps people stay healthy, independent and active. “Living longer is one of humanity’s greatest achievements, but what should be a cause for celebration is becoming a source of anxiety. We need to join forces across government and business, build care systems ready for an ageing society, and ensure older people are heard,” says Elizabeth Sukkar, senior research manager, global health and sustainability at Economist Enterprise. The session also looked at the challenge of meeting the needs of an ageing society through effective nutrition as many older people are malnourished. Between 1990 and 2021 global cases of malnutrition among older people more than doubled, rising from 44.4m to over 97.6m.¹ It also addressed the need for a stronger long-term care workforce, in a sector plagued by low pay and poor image.

A session on chronic-disease care used multiple sclerosis (MS) as a case study in looking beyond clinical measures to define success. Quality of life, invisible symptoms, uncertainty and independence all shape people’s experience. Workplace adaptations, such as flexible working and changes to workspaces, can also help people with MS remain in work and retain their skills. Invisible symptoms, such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating can make simple tasks exhausting, despite being less apparent than mobility issues. These can underlie many chronic neurological diseases, but health systems have not always developed tools to measure this effectively.

The debate on health investment returned to a central tension: how to balance breakthrough innovation with the workforce and infrastructure needed to deliver it. Speakers argued for evidence-based spending focused on outcomes and value, and for recognising health as an investment in economic resilience—not simply a cost to contain. 

Delegates heard about our initiative, The Health Dividend, where we are building the case to show that return on investment (ROI). For instance, in our 40-nation Health Inclusivity Index, we estimate that $303bn in healthcare costs could be saved a year if the proportion of people with low health literacy were reduced by a quarter.² This is through better use of medicines, fewer emergency-room visits and fewer hospital admissions. Our recently published research on MS highlighted why it is important that we measure what matters to people living with the disease. “94% of people with MS report fatigue, yet only 53% of neurologists we surveyed said they routinely assess it. If we don’t listen to people, we don’t hear the symptoms that shape their daily life, and we miss the full extent of a disease’s impact—and risk making incomplete decisions about care, policy and resources,” reflected Elly Vaughan, principal, health & social policy at Economist Enterprise.

We are also inviting experts from around the world to examine ROI in different ways. One op-ed looked at how NHS trusts with lower empathy scores spent £5.4m more on temporary staff than higher-scoring ones.³ Another op-ed looked at the ROI of investing in African health R&D, where the model showed it can boost productivity alongside better health outcomes.⁴

Health spending plays a distinct part in the economy. “First, it is a form of consumption; second, an investment in people. Spending on medical care, medicines and preventive services helps people recover from illness and stay well. This spurs economic growth by raising labour productivity and reducing time off sick,” Ms Sukkar told the conference.  Health spending also creates jobs in healthcare and allied fields—including pharmaceuticals, medical technology, infrastructure and digital services—which in turn fuels broader growth. Unlike many other sectors, health is less vulnerable to swings in the economic cycle, preserving jobs and output during downturns. A growing health sector therefore bolsters economic resilience and underpins long-term development.

Cardiovascular Disease Summit: measuring what matters

With 80% of cardiovascular deaths preventable, discussions focused on addressing common risk factors—such as hypertension—and improving prevention and early detection. “We need to better understand risk and benefits in cardiovascular,” says Mrs Vaughan. “Individuals need to be aware of their own risk and ‘know their numbers’, but policymakers also need to know who is at increased risk, target interventions accordingly and measure progress using disaggregated numbers to check progress is equitable and effective.” But measuring progress also means capturing all relevant outcomes and impacts, including those that fall beyond the health system.