CARING NATURE was showcased at the 2025 Panhellenic Congress on Health Economics and Policy, one of the most important annual scientific and policy events in Greece in the field of health systems and public health decision-making.

Held in Athens from 9 to 11 December 2025, the Congress is co-organised by the Institute for Health Economics (i-hecon) and the Hellenic Society of Health Economics and Policy (EEEOPY), with the support of numerous renowned scientific bodies. The event brings together high-level stakeholders, including the Minister of Health, CEOs of public and private organisations, academics, researchers, and health system experts.

A Focus on Evidence-Based Resource Allocation in Health Care

The central theme of the 2025 edition is “Evidence-based resource allocation in Health Care.”
Discussions focus on the decision-making processes and institutional safeguards through which resource allocation within health systems can — and must — be aligned with the best available scientific evidence, as well as with societal values, preferences, priorities, and long-term objectives. Beyond its main theme, the Congress also addresses a wide range of critical topics for the future of health care systems, including sustainability, prevention, innovation, and equity of access.

A Dedicated Session on Sustainable Health Systems

Within this framework, CARING NATURE partners Dr Anastasios Sepetis, Dr. George Pierrakos, and Fotios Rizos from the University of West Attica contributed to the session entitled:
“Sustainable Health Systems: Theory and Applications in the Economy, Environment and Society.”

Their contributions covered complementary aspects of sustainability in health systems:

  • Sustainability Reports as a Tool for Strategy and Transparency in Hospitals
    Anastasios Sepetis
    Highlighting sustainability reporting as a strategic instrument to improve governance, accountability, and long-term planning in hospital management.

  • Building Green and Resilient Primary Health Care Structures: Sustainability as a Driver of Community Development and Prevention
    Giorgos Pierrakos
    Focusing on sustainable and resilient primary health care facilities as key enablers of prevention strategies and local community development.

  • Life Cycle Costing in Hospitals: From Financial Evaluation to Investment Sustainability
    Fotios Rizos
    Demonstrating how Life Cycle Costing (LCC) can support more informed investment decisions by integrating long-term financial and sustainability considerations.

Promoting Practical Tools for Sustainable Health Policies

The overall objective of the session was to demonstrate the necessity of integrating sustainability reporting processes, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) into the design and evaluation of health policies, while taking into account the specific characteristics of primary health care facilities, which play a crucial role in both environmental performance and population health outcomes.

The speakers also highlighted that significant steps are already being taken in this direction, notably through European initiatives such as the CARING NATURE project, in which they actively participate and which provides concrete methodologies, tools, and case studies to support the transition towards more sustainable health infrastructure.

Strengthening Dialogue with Policy and Health System Stakeholders

The Congress provided an excellent opportunity for CARING NATURE partners to present the project’s progress and to engage with a broad range of stakeholders, including health policy and social science researchers, health professionals, patient representatives, health insurance bodies, and public authorities. These exchanges help strengthen links between research, policy, and practice, and support the wider uptake of project results.

Participation in such a high-level policy forum reinforces the visibility of CARING NATURE and contributes to positioning the project as a key reference for advancing sustainability in health care systems at national and European levels.