Amplifying the Impact of HEOR Through Continued Advancement of Our Mission
Nancy S. Berg, CEO/Executive Director, ISPOR
It is always a pleasure to look into the future by recapping some of the hundreds of investments your Society has planned for 2023. If you raised an eyebrow at the mention of “hundreds” of investments, know that hundreds is probably an understatement given the activity level of ISPOR members and groups across the globe. Members are the heart of ISPOR—they contribute as strategists, as the Society’s volunteer workforce, and as consumers of programs, content, and engagement that support and inspire the entire HEOR community. And, it is this community that delivers evidence on which decision makers and patients rely.
In early 2023, ISPOR made a significant addition to its member benefits by launching the HEOR Learning Lab™ that is now available to all members. HEOR Learning Lab provides unlimited on-demand educational video content to facilitate learning and innovative approaches in the field. ISPOR members can immediately access everything that HEOR Learning Lab offers, such as video content selected from the Society’s conferences, summits, and other seminal events. The easily searchable content is focused on the most topical themes impacting the field, including real-world evidence, patient-centered research, digital health, artificial intelligence and machine learning, health technology assessment (HTA), economic methods, healthcare financing, access and policy, learning healthcare systems, and much more. More than 500 on-demand content sessions are currently available on the platform!
"I am enthused about the ongoing dialogue ISPOR maintains with influencers by encouraging their understanding and utilization of HEOR as important tools for supporting decision making and advancing healthcare."
This year ISPOR will also be launching a communications campaign designed to “amplify” the awareness of HEOR and the work of ISPOR members. This campaign represents a significant investment by the Society and is being designed to increase the awareness and understanding of HEOR to advance its application and use to improve healthcare decisions.
In 2023, ISPOR will also introduce a new conference format that combines valuable in-person experiences as well as a digital option. The new Digital Conference Pass will provide unlimited on-demand post-conference access to conference sessions, as well as a Key Insights session that will summarize the main topics, discussions, and takeaways from the conference. The ISPOR in-person experience is unmatched, and we plan to enhance the conference design to create even greater value for attendees—whether they are participating in the live conference or the Digital Conference Pass and Key Insights event.
In 2023, ISPOR task forces are continuing the development of important Good Practices Reports; special interest groups, chapters, and communities are diligently discussing key topics of interest; the Society’s journals and publications are ever evolving in prominence and scale; and committees and councils are actively advising ISPOR on member interests and needs.
With all that activity underway, I am also enthused about the ongoing dialogue ISPOR maintains with influencers by encouraging their understanding and utilization of HEOR as important tools for supporting decision making and advancing healthcare. Not everyone is aware of the regular decision-maker dialogue taking place within ISPOR, but it is significant and critical at a time when unprecedented policy and decision-making changes are happening—particularly in Europe related to joint clinical assessment and joint procurement, and in the United States with drug price negotiations within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Below are some examples of important dialogue:
• A strategic initiative to engage payers in ISPOR continues to foster greater appreciation for the value and understanding of HEOR in decision making
• Regularly organized discussions with HTA bodies around the world take place through the Health Technology Assessment Roundtable Series held in Europe, North America, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa
• ISPOR also routinely sponsors roundtable discussions with patient-engagement groups and is engaging with healthcare providers and other stakeholders
• The Society’s policy webinars update members on key issues within their regions and 2 new ISPOR policy sessions will be held this year at ISPOR 2023 in Boston and ISPOR Europe 2023 in Copenhagen
• Engagement and dialogue continues with EUnetHTA, the European Commission, trade groups, and societies with mutual interests, as well as discussions with EMA, FDA, and other regulators and other decision makers worldwide
• ISPOR also routinely responds to formal calls for comments by agencies and organizations through which your Society presents views on strengthening the rigorous use of HEOR science in decisions and change
It is a bit bittersweet that I end this article with communication of my planned retirement at the end of the first quarter, after a 40-year career working for scientific and technical societies. I am leaving a strong organization—financially stable and well-positioned to make even greater impact in the coming years. The search committee responsible for recommending and hiring my replacement has done an outstanding job of selecting from hundreds of applicants. I sincerely thank the members of the Board of Directors that I have worked with for the past 8 years for their vision and support of my extraordinary team and me. The change and progress ISPOR has made is truly remarkable and to sit on a perch that witnesses healthcare from the lens of many stakeholders has been a privilege.
"What YOU do as researchers and decision makers is vital to help understand and overcome these challenges, ultimately getting life-saving medicines to patients."
Science and technology have driven considerable advancements in the past several years and their application has changed, challenged, and stretched healthcare systems and decision makers everywhere. What YOU do as researchers and decision makers is vital to help understand and overcome these challenges, ultimately getting life-saving medicines to patients. I thank all of ISPOR for the opportunity to be a part of the organization. My call to you as members is to never lose sight of your incredible role in the big picture: the research you conduct or use in decision making impacts us all.
Best wishes in your future endeavors—I’ll be watching for even greater successes (albeit at a distance)!
