Basil Strategies is a consultancy founded by Denise Silber, eHealth pioneer and the European partner of Health 2.0 Paris Conference 6-7 April 2010. After 5 successful conferences in the United States, Health 2.0 Conference is coming across the pond, thanks to the mutual commitment of the conference founders Matthew Holt and Indu Subaiya and Denise Silber.
What is your primary role at Health 2.0?
We at Basil Strategies are the European partner, ie co-organizer of the conference with Health 2.0. So, the two teams are working together on all aspects of the conference, combining our expertise and trans-Atlantic perspectives.
Where the decision to organise Health 2.0 in Europe come from?
I met up with Matthew Holt and Indu Subaiya in February 2008, at the second Health 2.0 conference, and we began to discuss the European opportunity with the idea of Paris, where my company is based. When I tested the idea of holding the conference in Paris, it was met with a lot of enthusiasm here... not to mention the attraction around Europe and in the US to come to Paris in the springtime! So, although there were other options, Paris it is!
What has been the greatest challenge you've had to face?
The teams have the same values and passion for Health 2.0. So, we really work well together. But working around the 9-hour time difference is a challenge.
Can you tell us about your speakers at Health 2.0 Europe?
It's going to be an amazing conference. We've confirmed 40+ speakers from 12 European countries. We're no longer taking any demo requests. What is fascinating is that so most of the European speakers, while very successful, are not known outside of their home country at this point. And each is doing something unique, whether in search, content, community, personal health records, etc. So, there is going to be a tremendous cross-fertilization within Health 2.0 thanks to the networking at our conference. Secondly, there will really be a before and after to the growth of Health 2.0 in Europe, as these Health 2.0 programs become known, thanks to the conference. As to our keynotes, we have a high-level government-focused keynote panel, given the importance of government in eHealth in Europe. We should be announcing another keynote this week. And finally, our launch panel will include some terrific scoops!
...and your partners at Health 2.0 Europe?
We have several categories of partners: regional ambassadors, supporting partners, media, and sponsors. Our regional ambassadors are Health 2.0 experts based in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and of course France.
Supporting partners include well-known organizations in Europe such as Eurordis, HON, OrphaNet, who are multi-country, the Dutch eHealth organization, French health business angels, AQIS, PharMBA.
In the media, we've got a dozen partners with either global or pan-European audiences. There is also a French-based media group, GMS with some of France's best known medical journals and 130 k French MD's, several key publishers for pharma such as Pharmiweb and Pharmaceutiques; eHealth publications; BMJ, accessed globally by millions of physicians, is supporting the conference and as well Medicine Today with 2.5 million monthly readers. We have top-quality public relations partners, Ballou PR for Europe and Presse&Papiers for France.
Our industry partners are really benefiting from all of the above, and you will see that they are very diverse in terms of headquarter country, geographic scope, activity: BUPA in the UK for insurance, LEEM in Paris and UCB Pharma Brussels, and Orange Healthcare Europe headquarters for technology services.
What do you would recommend to eHealthNews.eu readers?
First of all I would like to invite all eHealthNews.eu readers to Paris, Health 2.0 Europe will be a unique conference. We will integrate the best of European health technologies, and compare and contrast them with leading examples of Health 2.0 from the US. There are some exhibit tables left for companies with exciting technologies to demonstrate.
And, you are very welcome to explore the event web site at http://www.health2con.com/paris2010/
Thank you for your attention and time.
Thank you, see you in Paris