An event to foster the exchange of knowledge, experience and practices among professionals and stakeholders in the health procurement sector.
The Procurement in health for uncertain times conference was held in the Fundación Carlos de Amberes, Madrid (Spain) on the days 20th and 21st of May 2025 and was a joint initiative of the Procure4Health and PROCURE projects, both committed to strengthening healthcare procurement in Europe. By combining their complementary approaches — fostering innovation (Procure4Health) and enhancing capacities and coordination (PROCURE project aims to make current healthcare procurement practices more resilient and efficient across the European Union, and to ensure that public health and care procurement systems can respond to future emergency crises and pandemics.) — the event created a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration among public buyers.
The main objective of the conference was to create a space for dialogue to explore innovative solutions, promote collaboration between public and private institutions, and address current challenges related to resource management, healthcare technology and sustainability in health systems.
Conference Sessions Day 1
The conference started with an insightful introduction to the conference, explaining the reasoning for holding it made by Jorge González, Director of Ticbiomed, and Laura Sánchez, Senior Manager at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO). Afterwards, Carmen Laplaza, Head of Unit Health Innovations and Ecosystems, DG Research and Innovation, made the institutional welcome of the conference via video format.
Session 1: Public Procurement in Healthcare: Challenges, Opportunities & Innovation Pathways
The session started with an insightful keynote by Diego Moñux, Founder and Executive Partner of Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO), on Public Procurement in Healthcare, exploring the current Landscape and Future Opportunities in Healthcare procurement. The keynote was followed by an open discussion held between Diego Moñux, Katarzyna Motyka, Policy Officer, DG Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority and Mercedes Avilés, Pre-commercial Public Procurement Coordinator, Innovation Public Procurement Office (CDTI).
This session highlighted the critical need to rethink public procurement in healthcare as a driver for transformation, capable of responding to emerging challenges and opportunities.
Session 2: Towards more efficient Healthcare services: The PROCURE and P4H approach. Why, How, What?
This session adopted a fireside conversation format between Raquel Ares, manager director at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO) and PROCURE Coordinator, and Carlos Larrañeta, coordinator of Procure4Health, offering an engaging exploration of each project’s purpose, process, and outcomes, with a particular emphasis on the elements that others can replicate.
The dialogue illustrated how collaboration and adaptability are key to advancing healthcare procurement practices across diverse contexts.
Session 3: Data-Driven Public Procurement: Enhancing Decision-Making and Accountability
In this session, experts presented innovative approaches to using data in public procurement. Camille Serres, European Project Manager at Réseau des Acheteurs Hospitaliers (RESAH) started with a study on procurement systems, diving into the insights gained from observational data. Next, Óscar Corcho, Professor at Ontology Engineering Group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid discussed the European Procurement Data Space, highlighting the initiative to standardise EU procurement data. Finally, Hamish Laing, Professor of Enhanced Innovation, Engagement and Outcomes at Swansea University, shared his thoughts on value-based procurement, exploring how data can drive better outcomes in procurement decisions. The session was moderated by and Laura Sánchez, Senior Manager at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO).
The session demonstrated how leveraging data can significantly improve transparency and decision-making in healthcare procurement, paving the way for more accountable systems.
Session 4: Assessing, evaluating and prioritising Health challenges
This session was held by Carlos Larrañeta, coordinator of Procure4Health, and it followed a Keynote structure focused on assessing, evaluating, and prioritising health challenges. The presentation underscored the importance of aligning procurement priorities with real-world health needs, ensuring resources target the most pressing challenges.
Session 5: Together, stronger. The role of communities and networks in improving strategic procurement.
This session explored the power of communities and networks in enhancing strategic procurement. Ali Fakih, Sustainable Innovation Officer at Health Care Without Harm Europe from P4H, led the discussion, followed by Silvia Nélida Bossio, project manager at RSCN, who introduced the Community of Interest Forum. Elisa Frenz, CEO, Co-Founder and Chief Digital Officer of the Health Proc Europe Association highlighted the role of networks in driving procurement innovation. The session concluded with Antoine Beeyssac, International Project Manager at Bpifrance, from the Eclipse and IPTF communities, discussing their initiatives and contributions to the field.
The session revealed that strong networks and active communities are essential for sustaining innovation and creating synergies that amplify procurement efforts.
Closure
The first day was closed by Áurea Morillo García, Secretary General for Public Health and R&D&i, Junta de Andalucía, and Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation & Universities, Spanish Ministry of Science, emphasising the importance of a shared vision and strong collaboration in driving procurement forward across Europe.
Conference Sessions Day 2
On the second day, Jorge González, Director of Ticbiomed, and Laura Sánchez, Senior Manager at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO), opened the conference.
Session 6: Policy Strategies and Trends: Innovation, Regulation, and the Future
The sixth conference session, moderated by Nick Guldemond, a member of the Procure4Health Advisory Board, followed a short presentation format. The session began with a presentation by Marta Salinas, Director of Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO), into current trends in healthcare innovation. She was followed by Ana Isabel Peiró Baquedano, Senior Legal Procurement Consultant at CORVERS, who presented a comparative study between international procurement systems. Jorge Gonzalez then introduced the Procure4Health Policy recommendations. The final presentation, delivered by María Sanchís, Senior Open Innovation & Innovative Procurement Manager at EIT Health, focused on ADD4KIDS – demand-driven tools for paediatric innovation adoption. Each presentation provided valuable perspectives on how policy and trends are influencing the future of procurement and innovation.
Session 7: Experimentation Spaces: Unlocking Innovation in Procurement
The session began with a keynote titled “Experimentation Spaces: Unlocking Innovation in Procurement”, delivered by Juan Pablo Villar from Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO). Following the keynote, Juan Pablo also moderated a panel discussion providing an overview of ongoing initiatives related to experimentation spaces. The panel featured Carmen González, Project Manager at ITG, who presented the DaliLab project, and Guillermo Mas, Head of Technology Innovation at Aguas de Alicante, who shared insights from their work in fostering innovation through experimental approaches.
The discussion reinforced the value of safe spaces for experimentation, where new ideas can be tested and refined to bring innovation into practice.
Session 8: Transforming Public Buying: Key Initiatives and Tools for Innovation
This conference continued with a panel titled “Transforming Public Buying: Key Initiatives and Tools for Innovation”, moderated by Lutz Kubitschke from EMPIRICA. The panel opened with Adrián García, Head of IT at Hospital Universitario del Sureste, who presented the PREPLEX project as a success story from the InnoBuyer programme. Diana Cortés, Manager at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO), followed with an overview of the InnoHSupport project. The session concluded with a presentation by Andrés Gilsanz, also a Manager at Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO), who introduced the Procure Innovation EU initiative. Together, the panel showcased various approaches to driving innovation in public buying.
The session showcased how innovative tools and initiatives are transforming public buying, creating a more agile and forward-looking procurement landscape.
Session 9: Shaping the Future: PROCURE Recommendations & P4H Roadmap
The final session of the two-day conference featured a series of presentations under the theme “Shaping the Future: PROCURERecommendations & the Procure4Health Roadmap”, moderated by Marcin Kautsch from the Regional Specialist Hospital in Olsztyn. Reyes Carballar, Project manager at FISEVI, opened the session with a presentation on public procurement strategies developed within the PROCURE project. This was followed by a joint presentation on the Procure4Health Action Plan, delivered by Sonja Müller, Senior researcher at EMPIRICA, and Carlos Larrañeta, coordinator of Procure4Health at Fundación Progreso y Salud.
This final session captured the importance of clear, actionable strategies to ensure that the lessons learned and innovations piloted during the projects continue to have a lasting impact.
Closure
The day concluded with a separate General Assembly meeting held by each project, where the final project outcomes and impacts were presented. Furthermore, some partners proposed thoughtful ideas to ensure the project’s legacy endures beyond its conclusion, such as compiling all the key insights into a dedicated book.
The Procurement in Health for Uncertain Times Conference highlighted the essential role of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in advancing healthcare procurement. In a world marked by uncertainty and evolving challenges, innovation procurement is not just an advantage — it is a necessity for building resilient, responsive, and efficient health systems. By bringing together a diverse group of professionals and stakeholders, the conference created a space where ideas, experiences, and best practices could be openly shared. This exchange not only enriched participants’ understanding but also laid a foundation for more collaborative, data-driven, and impactful procurement practices across Europe.
