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November 3, 2009

Report on the Global Health Forum 2009: Connecting Through Innovation & Partnerships

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The 4th annual science event, the GLOBAL HEALTH FORUM 2009, was held on October 22 and 23, 2009, in Washington, DC. Panelists identified and discussed strategies in health technology, innovations in primary care, and telemedicine’s global impact on healthcare.

The Embassy would like to thank Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, MD, PhD, of the Department of Neurology at the George Washington University, who served as the Scientific and Organizing Chair of the Global Health Forum 2009. 

Ambassador Roman Kirn highlighted that the international community realizes the need for a common response to the several global issues including health security. These issues do not stop at national borders and demand the action of all countries and its individuals. Therefore, Slovenia and the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington are ready and willing to offer the knowledge and expertise to reduce imbalances in access to health globally, to support international collaboration and stability, and promote economic development across nations. One of the actions on the governmental level that addresses such global issues is the newly established Department for Global Challenges at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik noted in her opening address that our world has become a global institution with various partnerships of many individuals, regions, and countries as main players. Dr. de Leonni Stanonik who also serves as the Vice President of the International Virtual e-Hospital and is an expert on (re)building healthcare systems with the help of telemedicine noted that advanced technologies in healthcare are in the process of transforming the way medicine is practiced world-wide and emphasized the role of health diplomacy when implementing the concept of the international virtual e-hospital in the developing world. 

Speakers of the first panel The Essence of Healthcare: Local and Global Perspectives address the issues of Mental health of immigrant and refugee populations, Improved surveillance and public health of South America, U.S. Health Care Reform and The Neglected Tropical Diseases. 

The second main focus of this conference was information/health technology and telemedicine. The panel Science, Technology & Health Diplomacy was opened by the keynote address by William Kennedy Smith, MD, the President of the Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR). Dr. Kennedy Smith revealed to us his successful practice of helping landmine victims with telemedicine and other technologies, especially in the area of tele-rehabilitative services. 

Patrticipating in the Forum as panelists or moderators were health experts from eleven academic, research, and international institutions in the United States.