The CHB Group hosted its annual conference at the historic Schloss Bredeneek in Lehmkuhlen over the weekend. This year’s event ‘Challenges for Medicine in Our Time: What is In Store for us and how can we Prepare,’ delved into the pressing issues facing healthcare today. Following last year’s focus on the effects of economic transformation in German rural areas, this year’s event turned its attention to the field of medicine, particularly in light of the Group’s recent involvement in a new project aimed at combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). By bringing together experts to share their insights, the conference was an ideal opportunity explore the challenges facing healthcare today.
As the organizer, Carl Heinrich Bruhn was once again able to welcome four highly experienced and respected speakers namely:
- Prof. Dr. med. habil. Claudia Schmidtke: Heart Surgeon, Spokesperson for the Lübeck Heart Center of the Schleswig-Holstein University Clinic and Chairlady of the Schleswig-Holstein CDU Specialist Committee on Health.
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Lieb: Director of the Epidemiology Institute of the Schleswig-Holstein University Clinic (Kiel Campus) and member of the ‘Health and Resilience’ Expert Council of the German Federal Government.
- Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Axel Haverich: world renowned Heart Surgeon, former Director of the Clinic for Heart, Thorax, Transplant and Vascular Surgery in Hannover and the Medical School of Hannover.
- Prof. Dr. Heinz-Walter Große: former CEO of B.Braun Melsungen and Honorary Chair of the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business
Each speaker offered valuable perspectives on topics ranging from prevention to infectious diseases to the evolving role of technology in patient care.
Professor Schmidtke started her presentation off with some sobering facts: the German healthcare system is financially, economically and socially unsustainable. Many clinics are on the verge of closing and there are grave staff shortages, despite billions of Euros going into the healthcare system annually. This discrepancy points to inefficiencies in the allocation of resources. Furthermore, she highlighted that Germany also faces the rising burden of an aging population and that many people struggle with changing their behaviour in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some high-risk practices include smoking, little to no physical activity and unhealthy eating habits, which all lead to obesity, poor mental and physical health and increased risk of hospitalization, diabetes and other serious health conditions. However, Professor Schmidtke stressed the importance of shifting the focus from disease treatment to proactive health promotion through prevention and health literacy. Health literacy enables individuals to understand and use health information and is critical in reducing chronic illnesses. She called for a paradigm shift from a system that focuses on ‘sickness’ to a healthcare system that promotes ‘wellness.’
Professor Lieb opened his presentation with a global perspective, emphasising the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. He provided data from the WHO and GLOBOCAN (Global Cancer Observatory), which demonstrated worldwide trends in hypertension, obesity and diabetes, and presented these conditions as key risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. He further stressed that prevention is the best way to combat these conditions. He suggested practical measures such as maintaining a balanced diet, regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, and moderating alcohol consumption. He also stressed the importance of regular check-ups in order to ensure early detection. Professor Lieb also suggested advancing ‘digital epidemiology’ as a prevention strategy. This entails digital health monitoring, and the integration of environmental data. He ended by encouraging attendees to invest in digital health monitoring devices such as smart watches which help to monitor heart rate, blood pressure and glucose levels in addition to exercise and a healthy diet.
Professor Haverich echoed some of Professor Lieb’s insights by further highlighting the importance of physical activity as the key to lifelong health. Regular exercise is essential for preventing chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular conditions, type 2 diabetes, Osteoporosis and certain cancers. It can also reduce the risk of depression and cognitive decline. He also pointed out that lack of exercise does not only affect the health of individuals, but also negatively impacts the socioeconomic system as a whole due to increased treatment costs, higher disability rates, and reduced workforce activity. He also shared that along with some colleagues from the Hannover Medical School, he initiated a health and fitness program titled ‘REBIRTH: active,’ which provides individual workout plans to participants. The program has produced significant health improvements including notable weight loss, increased work capacity and physical endurance. Professor Haverich highlighted the importance of starting physical activity early by implementing school-based programs which help to instil lifelong healthy habits. He ended his presentation with a call for prevention-oriented lifestyle. He encouraged attendees to incorporated physical activity into their daily routines to enhance their overall well-being.
Based on his experience at B.Braun Melsungen, Professor Große shared insights on how technology has not only transformed the landscape of medicine, but also promises immense possibilities for further advancements in areas such laparoscopy, dialysis, diagnostics and training. With technological advancements, what once required large incisions, now only requires small, precise entry points, making medical procedures less invasive and speeding up patient recovery. Dialysis has also seen substantial advancements whereby innovation focuses on developing machines that are more efficient, portable and tailored to individual patient needs. He gave the example of wearable dialysis devices, which offer hope for greater mobility and better patient outcomes. He also highlighted that AI is emerging as an important tool in healthcare. AI is beginning to assist with diagnostics, predicting potential complications and even optimizing hospital workflows to reduce wait times and improve patient experiences. He stressed that technology is fundamentally improving healthcare, thus creating a more responsive and effective system.
All the presentations received enthusiastic reviews from attendees, who found the content both informative and inspiring. During the engaging question-and-answer session, many expressed their appreciation for the valuable reminder to prioritize a healthy lifestyle and shared their eagerness to incorporate several of the speakers’ recommendations into their daily routines. This response reflects a meaningful impact, as attendees left feeling motivated and equipped to make positive changes.
