Health without borders:
Building a global workforce for the future

Speaker:

• Dina Alismail (Executive Director of Health Diplomacy, Saudi Commission for Health Specialities)

Speaker:

• Dina Alismail (Executive Director of Health Diplomacy, Saudi Commission for Health Specialities)

Moderator:

• Hannah Vaughan Jones (Broadcaster and former CNN anchor)

This session will feature an in-depth conversation on the challenges and opportunities in the global recognition of medical credentials. The discussion will highlight current practices for credential recognition required to pursue postgraduate training in the United States. Representatives from Intealth will share their experiences and observations on the international landscape as well as provide insights into opportunities for greater alignment and transparency, such as advancing unified, competency-based training.

Speaker:

• Dr. Diarmuid O’Shea (President, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland)

Moderator:

• Steve Gardner (Managing Director, Healthcare World)

The development of harmonized credentials is a gradual process that cannot be realized instantaneously. Building mutual trust among partners is essential, ensuring commitments are upheld while placing health practitioners, their skills, and patient safety at the center. This interview will share perspectives on past journeys, the factors behind their success, and how such experiences can support broader multilateral efforts.

Speaker:

• Dr. Guilherme Duarte (Executive Director, UNITE)
• Dr. Nneka Mobisson (Cofounder and CEO, mDoc)
• Isabel Mestres (CEO, City Cancer Challenge)

Moderator:

• Hannah Vaughan Jones (Broadcaster and former CNN anchor)

Harmonizing cross-border credentialing is key for building a more connected and capable global health workforce. Regulators, health systems, and international organizations must come together to ensure that international health practitioners are equipped, recognized, and able to meet global health demands as populations age and new health. challenges emerge. We'll discuss how harmonization could look like and the collective efforts needed to improve current credentialing systems.

Speaker:

• Dr. Muhannad Al Mughthim (General Manager of Professional Practice Standards, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties)

Moderator:

• Steve Gardner (Managing Director, Healthcare World)

The early proposal for the global harmonization framework will be presented, considering challenges such as workforce shortage balanced with quality assurance in credentialing. The framework will leverage lessons from similar global efforts, focusing on commitment and multi stakeholder engagement, fostering ethical mobility, while securing patient outcomes.

Speakers:

• Eric Holmboe (President and CEO, Inthealth)
• Lyuba Konopasek (Senior vice president at Intealth and executive director of FAIMER, Intealth)

Moderator:

• Steve Gardner (Managing Director, Healthcare World)

This session will feature an in-depth conversation on the challenges and opportunities in the global recognition of medical credentials. The discussion will highlight current practices for credential recognition required to pursue postgraduate training in the United States. Representatives from Intealth will share their experiences and observations on the international landscape, as well as provide insights into opportunities for greater alignment and transparency, such as advancing unified, competency-based training.

Speakers:

• Stephen Boese (Executive Secretary, New York State medical boards)
• Dr. Jeff Markuns (Executive director, Global health collaborative, Department of Family Medicine, Boston University)
• Kana Halić Kordić (Vice president for external affairs, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations)

Moderator:

• Steve Gardner (Managing Director, Healthcare World)

This session will present three distinct perspectives on credential harmonization: those of the regulator, the practitioner, and the trainee. It will consider how each views the present, and future of harmonization of certification for healthcare professionals, and how ambitions and expectations differ or align. By bringing these voices together, the discussion will provide a nuanced understanding of the evolving landscape and its implications for shaping sustainable, globally relevant approaches to harmonized credentialing.

Speakers:

• Katherine Urbaez (Executive Director, Health Diplomacy Alliance)
• Dr. Pamela Cipriano (Co-chair, steering committee, UHC2030)
• Sarah Peterson (Partner, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP)

Moderator:

• Hannah Vaughan Jones (Broadcaster and former CNN anchor)

What's needed to implement a harmonized and truly global credential system for the health workforce of the future? Key stakeholders will lay out the road map and clarify the roles of governing bodies and international organizations in ensuring the necessary reforms and next steps, including through the creation of dedicated working groups to drive the initiative forward.

Speakers:

• Heitham Hassoun (Chief executive at Cedars-Sinai International and professor of surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai)
• Noha Hachach (Managing Director of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Cedars-Sinai)
• Nikoloz Kobakhidze (Founder, THE Crossroads)

Moderator:

• Amjad Alahmed (General Manager - Global Marketing, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties)

Bring together experienced health care leaders and global experts, the discussion will explore the most urgent workforce priorities today and the different models toward building a global workforce. Panelists will share lessons from successful workforce models and international initiatives – from upskilling programs to innovative cross-border training partnerships – that could be scaled or adapted to diverse contexts. The session aims to shed light on a path forward for health systems to collaboratively build a resilient, skilled, and future-ready global health workforce to serve communities everywhere.

Speaker:

• Ahmed Alshamrani (CEO of The Health Academy, Saudi Commission for Health Specialities)

Speaker:

• Amjad Alahmed (General Manager - Global Marketing, Saudi Commission For Health Specialties)

Moderator:

• Steve Gardner (Managing Director, Healthcare World)

By 2030, many countries are expected to face significant challenges within their health systems due to aging populations, a projected shortage of 11 million qualified health and care workers (WHO), and unsustainable migration trends that threaten the stability and equity of health service delivery. This session aims to foster dialogue on practical and collaborative solutions, including coordinated global efforts to expand training capacity, establish pathways for global credentialing and qualification recognition, and facilitate professional mobility to ensure equitable access to healthcare across borders.

Speakers:

• Crystal Lander (Associate vice president, CARE International)
• Guillaume Dedet (Senior Health Economist, OECD)
• Stefan Wisbauer (Co-CEO, Lecturio)

Moderator:

• Rajesh Mirchandani (Devex contributor and former BBC broadcaster)

A growing number of health care practitioners are trained in countries other than their own and they are increasingly migrating in what is now a global market for their talent. How can international training programs not only prepare workers to meet new health challenges but also ensure global recognition, professional advancement, and workforce mobility? We'll explore how training programs can be designed to attract a global workforce while also ensuring their skills are recognized and rewarded globally.

Speaker:

• Amanda Glassman (Executive adviser to the president, Inter-American Development Bank)

Moderator:

• Rajesh Mirchandani (Devex contributor and former BBC broadcaster)

With a global shortage of 11 million health workers expected by 2030, ensuring that practitioners who gain experience and training abroad can bring back new skills and knowledge to strengthen their home health systems will be key. Hear more about how countries can reap the benefits of investing in the health workforce, ensuring a win-win for all health systems.

Speaker:

• Kaakpema "KP" Yelpaala (Senior Fellow & Lecturer, Yale School of Public Health)

Moderator:

• Alan Robbins (Co-founder and executive vice president, Devex)

Hear from global entrepreneur and public health practitioner KP Yelpaala, as we dive into how digital health innovation and training tools can help empower the next generation of global health practitioners.

Speakers:

• Emily Sheldon (Cofounder and CEO, African Health Innovation Centre)
• Dr. Gregory Ganda (County executive committee member for health, Kisumu County Kenya)

Moderator:

• Rajesh Mirchandani (Devex contributor and former BBC broadcaster)

How can innovation in health workforce regulation help ensure the highest quality care while also improving the international mobility needed to meet changing demand and evolving health challenges? By higlighting regulatory best practicies and governance innovation we'll explore the future of health workforce regulation.

Speakers:

• Dr. Salvatore Viscomi (CEO and co-founder, Carna Health)
• Dr. Shibu Vijayan (Chief medical officer for global health, Qure.ai)
• Jhon Magkilat (Knowledge and Training Advisor, HealthAI - The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health)
• Melody Westen (CEO, Embrace Global)
• Abraham Zerihun Megentta (Ethiopia country director, Last Mile Health)

Moderator:

• Anna Gawel (Managing Editor, Devex)

Technology is rapidly transforming how health professionals are trained, supported, and retained - while also breaking down barriers to access. It's also presenting a tremendous opportunity for bridging skills gaps and expanding international training opportunities - we explore how tech-enabled training can help prepare health workers in a rapidly evolving global health landscape.

Speaker:

• Dr. Geeta Nayyar (Chief medical officer, technologist, and WSJ best-selling author)

Moderator:

• Rajesh Mirchandani (Devex contributor and former BBC broadcaster)

From navigating the hype and reality of new technologies as a tool for training health practitioners to boosting trust in the health care system in the age of misinformation, Dr. Geeta Nayyar will dive deeper into what it will take to support the next generation of health professionals. In an in-depth one-on-one conversation with bestselling author and former chief medical officer of Salesforce and AT&T, Nayyar will share her insights on how to leverage Al and technology to support the delivery of quality care and create a system that puts the needs of patients and health care professionals first.

Speaker:

• Deemah Al Yahya (Secretary-general, Digital Cooperation Organization)

Moderator:

• Dina Alismail (Executive Director of Health Diplomacy, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties)

Evidence-driven insights are key to fostering inclusive digital economy development. During this fireside chat, we will discuss the impact of digital technologies — especially in health care — and how they can empower citizens and improve well-being. Digital solutions can help address significant gaps in access to essential health services, particularly in developing countries. The Digital Economy Navigator, or DEN, produced by the Digital Cooperation Organization evaluates country-specific factors and presents actionable recommendations — including on digital health policy settings, access to and participation in digital health, and key related gender gaps. The session will provide an opportunity to share insights from DEN and practical experiences on how to make most of the opportunities in this area.

Speaker:

• Dr. Mohammed Alrassi (CEO, Development & Organizational Excellence, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties)