Brussels, 15 March 2022 - Value-Based Procurement (VBP) is an innovative procurement approach supporting patient-centric, safe, high quality and affordable healthcare. For the third time in four years, thought and practice leaders in value-based procurement came together to discuss the journey of this critical emerging topic in transforming healthcare from a price to a value approach.

The 3rd European Value-Based Procurement Conference took place in Brussels on 15 March 2022. It was supported by the European Health Public Procurement Alliance (EHPPA), the European Regional and Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA) and MedTech Europe.

The event welcomed the participation of high-level speakers and experts from different fields - procurement organisations, healthcare organisations, regional health authorities, the medical technology industry, and those interested in value-based procurement. They all joined forces to highlight the importance of collecting data from various stakeholders to integrate the concept of value within the core of healthcare systems and, more significantly, within procurement.

"VBP represents an innovative and holistic approach, which will lead to long-term benefits for healthcare systems and all its actors. However, its implementation requires a change of mentality and a strategic vision: change must begin now, and we must all commit to making it happen," argued Serge Bernasconi, CEO of MedTech Europe.

Giovanni Gorgoni, President of EUREGHA, added, "Payments and reimbursements for value remain the main key to unlock VBHC as a long-term and transformative challenge. VBP could solve the lack of bundled payments starting from the 'lower level' of healthcare - such as a 'product' - to more complex projects that need a 'partnership for care' supported by outcome-based contracting. Regional health systems, such as Spain and Sweden, have the opportunity to be a laboratory for testing projects. Also, large buyers such as Resah in France will move VBP forward."

'It's time to shift our vision to VBP to benefit the larger ecosystem of VBHC. If we only focus on prices, we miss an opportunity to answer challenges currently associated with healthcare systems." Said Danny Havenith, President of EHPPA.

The Value-Based Procurement Conference will be back in December 2022 for its fourth edition.