Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, we have learned that traditional approaches are losing significance, and we must adapt more swiftly to change. In terms of health policy, we are facing significant shifts in care structures, such as an increase in outpatient services and hospital reform, with a concentration of certain services and a reduction in the number of clinics. The financial sustainability of our excellent standards in elective and emergency care is increasingly at risk.

We are living in politically challenging times. With military conflicts in proximity, the provision of essential services, which we as doctors stand for, has taken on a whole new meaning in recent years. In our hospitals, we are now treating patients with war injuries, something we could not have imagined a few years ago – the hoped-for recovery of hospitals after the pandemic has not materialised.

There is also a global economic reorganisation taking place – the traditional alignments of Europe and the USA need to be reconsidered and reshaped. This realignment is occurring not only in sectors such as the automotive industry but also in medical technology, the importance of science, and its internationality.

It is precisely because we are facing challenges in many areas and because every change is also an opportunity that we have chosen the motto of the congress:

Shaping Progress Together.