For the president of Abimo, Platinum sponsor of the 36th World Hospital Congress, the mere fact that Brazil is hosting an event of this size already represents the Brazilian success on the international scenario. According to him, this will be “a unique opportunity for the Brazilian industry to show the level of technological advance it has reached”.

The recent announcement by US president, Barack Obama, that he wants to transfer the healthcare system of the United States to the universal model, as it is already being done in Brazil, also represents an opportunity to show the advances of the Brazilian management. “We have defects, but we also have virtues and a long experience in the system of universal health care. Which in spite of being quite complex-- bringing together public and private medical attention --- works. We are able to point out which are the best alternatives for this model” says Dr. Pallamolla.

Besides, there is an expectation worldwide, to see what kind of an impact and how deep is the financial crisis go down. According to Franco Pallamolla, there are no indicators that ascertain any kind of deceleration of the Brazilian economy. However, the market is taking preventive measures, namely withholding capitals.

“There is a normal apprehension whether the crisis will get deeper. In a scenario of dramatic crisis, the situations involve added pressure. In the case of healthcare if, for example, we have an increase in unemployment, we shall have a relocation in the demand, as many people will be unable to pay for their medical plans and will rush to the SUS (Unique Healthcare System) for attention. This transfer could generate an imbalance in the accounts” stated Pallamolla, emphasizing, nonetheless, that there is no indication that the world turmoil would hit Brazil in this way.

As a matter of fact, according to Pallamolla, the economic timing is favorable to the Brazilian industry, which is in what it is called a “disruptive” situation, meaning that it is not in the apex of the technological pyramid, it stands at a satisfactory tier. Says Pallamolla: “The technology used in Brazil attends 90% of the demand, which is a percentage more than satisfactory”. In reference to the impact of the cost of this technology, the relation cost X benefit is “healthy” and “balanced”, especially dealing with a scarce resources healthcare system.

“With the crisis, we can expect the coming back of the discussion on the level of technological innovation and adoption”, states the president of Abimo.
Still according to him, the limit of the resources sets the rapidity with which new technologies are incorporated and developed. “At the SUS, we learn to pursue the demand at a cost compatible with the reality and I believe that this is the major business card of Brazil to the other countries that will be attending the 36th World Hospital Congress: we have a good technological background, at a healthy cost. This binomial will be of interest”, he emphasized

As for the topic “Healthcare in the Knowledge Era ”, Pallamolla stressed that in the past, knowledge was in the hands of the doctors, but today, internet allows the patient to read and get aware of all the treatments and technologies available in healthcare. And the argument of Pallamolla: “This access to information triggers a chain reaction, as the patient, being informed questions the treatment and the methods utilized and, the healthcare professionals, on the other side, put pressure on the system to find an answer, what will end up in new technologies.”

Adopting new technologies and new know-how are resulting in increase of life span, which is already reflecting in a higher Human Development Index (HDI). This evidence brings to light the discussion on longevity. “With the access to information, people put pressure for adopting technologies that could ensure prolonging life and end up forcing the insertion of technologies that have not yet been validated. We, of the healthcare area, need to learn to deal with this situation, because it is senseless even thinking of censoring the access to information””, said president of ABIMO, adding emphatically that the issue should be handled taking into consideration the importance of the validations.
And concludes Pallamolla: “This is a discussion that is getting bigger, more profound and important. And it is mandatory to find the result of this equation to validate the technology.”