Private Health Forum 2024

The two sectors of the Hungarian health care system, the public and the private sectors, are developing in parallel. In the years following the COVID-19 epidemic, with increased medical wages, the elimination of the gratuity system, and the limited capacity of the public health system, the structures of a functioning system are beginning to emerge. But what can tip these processes out of their current optimum, and how long can the two systems coexist? Is more state intervention coming, or the opposite, a retreat of the state? Or will private service providers escape forward and make significant new investments? Or should we expect a wider, practical application of sectoral neutrality? 

The biggest private healthcare providers are growing unstoppably, with seemingly strong revenue numbers. However, the profitability and, hence, the return on investment is nowhere near what it was in the earlier pipe dreams. What determines the development of the service providers, how was the past year from a business point of view, and what will the next few years look like? Where are the new investors? What are they waiting for? Where is consolidation going, if at all, and why is the market for private operators so fragmented? What plans do the owners have for 2024-2025? 

Health is a real value for individuals, a real treasure, but many people only realise this when they are ill. However, with a healthier lifestyle, this can be changed. How can this be done correctly, and who can represent it authentically? If health has value, then health is a business and can be a good investment. In addition to saving and prolonging lives and helping hundreds of thousands of people to thrive, healing creates value. How can you invest in this business, and what trends to watch out for? Does the very poor health of Hungarians determine that we will spend a lot on this objective? 

Artificial intelligence, digitalisation, smart tools, technological development and a smaller available workforce are turning healthcare systems and their providers upside down before our eyes. In this ever-changing environment, how can a private hospital investing in the future stand its ground? What aspects should it use to shape its treatment and patient care processes, and what specialities, services and interventions should it focus on? In which areas will there be massive demand in the future, and what do the business figures show? What does the hospital of the future look like? How can patients be guided through the healing process while making them feel safe? And if all goes according to plan, based on what professional criteria is it worth monitoring the performance of the institution?