What Does It Take to Be an Outstanding ISPOR Regional Chapter?
An Interview With the ISPOR 2021 Outstanding Chapter Award Winners: Ukraine, Egypt, and Bulgaria Chapters
The ISPOR Outstanding Chapter Award program recognizes ISPOR regional chapters’ outstanding contribution and leadership in advancing ISPOR’s mission in global regions: Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The ISPOR Ukraine, Egypt and Bulgaria chapters have been recognized for their exemplary achievements in advancing health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) in their regions. This award is based on a thorough review of chapters’ impact on HEOR and health policy in their regions through activities, including education, research and engagement, and contribution to ISPOR strategic initiatives, as described in their annual reports.
ISPOR Ukraine Chapter
Oresta Piniazhko, PhD
ISPOR Ukraine Chapter President
What lessons have you learned from being an ISPOR chapter president and what inspired you to perform this role?
Today, more than ever, we see how quickly information is shared, habits are changed, and industries are transformed. We need to nurture curiosity and agility at every stage of our careers. So to find work that inspires you, you must encourage others to accomplish big things together as a team with common values.
Meeting my scientific advisor, Olha Zaliska, PhD, DSci, Founder and Past President of ISPOR Ukraine Chapter, inspired me to develop my career and attend my first ISPOR Congress in Amsterdam in 2014. In 2015, I started my PhD studies in pharmacoeconomic analysis and health technology assessment (HTA).
What does this award mean to you and the chapter? What steps did you take to
get here?
Daily pursuits with clear priorities have had a real impact on our lives and careers and that motivates us every day because our vision is to promote HEOR and HTA in the Ukraine to improve patients’ access to medicines. Together with Olha Zaliska we have been working on the implementation of educational programs on pharmacoeconomics and HTA, organizing conferences at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, and organizing international ISPOR Ukraine Chapter events. Since January 2019, I have been the director of the HTA Department at the State Expert Centre of Ministry of Health, Ukraine. My team has developed, through training, knowledge, and skills, the HTA process in Ukraine. This year in order to methodologically support the HTA procedure, the members of the HTA department developed and conducted 10 training seminars for the stakeholders on the new HTA guidelines.
What advice would you have for current chapter presidents? What characteristics make a chapter successful, and what are the strengths of your chapter?
That it’s really all about the team and to build a solid network of people whose skill sets complement yours. You’ve got to be focused on something bigger than yourself in order to be a great leader.
We need to create an environment where people want to come to engage with each other and deliver collectively for a common purpose. It is about setting clear expectations, being with people with common values, and a sense of achievement.
In my opinion, the unique multistakeholder engagement of our team and the education and research activities have provided a successful framework for ISPOR Ukraine Chapter growth. The chapter has demonstrated a significant number of education, research, and member engagement activities, and significant contributions to ISPOR publications/activities in 2021.
As an HEOR professional working during this important time for the sector, how do you see the future of HEOR? How has your chapter contributed to improve HEOR in your country?
Since February 2019, as the director of the HTA Department, I have worked on the institutionalization of HTA processes to address healthcare system reform in the Ukraine, including stakeholder engagement and international cooperation and membership in new institutions such as the European Network for Health Technology Assessment, the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessments, and Health Technology Assessment International.
Our main contribution was the approval of a decree that defines measures needed to establish an independent body for state HTA, HTA use for new medicines aimed for inclusion on the regulatory lists, approval of HTA guidelines, and the introduction of HTA for medical devices from January 1, 2022. Members of our chapter from Digital Health Outcomes are also developing an innovative solution to digitize health economics models and deliver them as powerful web-based tools for decision making.
ISPOR Egypt Chapter
Mahmoud Diaa Elmahdawy, PharmD
ISPOR Egypt Chapter President
What lessons have you learned from being an ISPOR chapter president and what inspired you to perform this role?
HTA is still in the growing phases in Egypt, and to have the opportunity to lead an ISPOR chapter where you can be part of the driving forces that help spread the science across the country/region is very rewarding and was a main inspiration for me. Being part of both Arabic and African networks gives us as ISPOR’s Egypt chapter an opportunity to share our good practices with others and also learn from other chapters in the region.
What does this award mean to you and the chapter? What steps did you take to get here?
This award has been very motivating for me and for ISPOR’s Egypt chapter. The past couple of years have been particularly challenging for all of us. We have faced difficulties in conducting some of our regular activities (eg, face-to-face meetings) due to restrictions with the pandemic. Despite this, the chapter has been committed to continue spreading awareness about HTA in Egypt and continued efforts on several fronts, including scientific activities and policy-related activities in addition to participating in relevant conferences/virtual meetings. This award gives us as a chapter the momentum and motivation to continue with our current efforts to advance for the future.
What advice would you have for current chapter presidents? What characteristics make a chapter successful, and what are the strengths of your chapter?
My advice to chapter presidents is to be determined and set a clear vision with well-defined goals. In addition, defining specific milestones along the journey keeps the teams motivated and encourages collaboration. Diversity of the chapter and representation from all relevant sectors including but not limited to academia, government, and industry adds to the chapter impact on the ground.
As an HEOR professional working during this important time for the sector, how do you see the future of HEOR? How has your chapter contributed to improve HEOR in your country?
Healthcare systems around the world face growing resource challenges. There are more resource constraints now with the pandemic than during any other time. HEOR can help guide us as to how we can best utilize our current resources and personally I would imagine that this would be of growing importance in the future as healthcare systems around the world seek to optimize their resource allocation and invest in overall health of the population as one of the country’s greatest assets. ISPOR Egypt has been conducting sessions throughout the years to raise awareness about HTA in Egypt and conducting educational activities, moderating policy sessions between relevant stakeholders.
ISPOR Bulgaria Chapter
Iliya Nestorov Nikolov, MPharm
ISPOR Bulgaria Chapter President
What lessons have you learned from being an ISPOR chapter president and what inspired you to perform this role?
In November, ISPOR’s Bulgaria Chapter turns 10 years old. This is a relatively short period, but during this time the chapter managed to gather a team of experts coming from different stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector in Bulgaria (academia, pharmaceutical industry, regulatory institutions) who with strong motivation, tireless work, and desire developed different approaches and initiatives to implement the pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research knowledge at the local level in the best possible way and showing that all perspectives should be considered in the decision-making process.
I am honored to be part of this team and remain with the inner conviction that we need to continue the way we have traveled so far, constantly building on our knowledge and skills and passing it to all interested parties. Our chapter has a wonderful team of personalities and professionals with a clear vision and a specific plan.
What does this award mean to you and the chapter? What steps did you take to get here?
For ISPOR’s Bulgaria Chapter and for me personally, this award is an outstanding recognition of the efforts made by our team and especially for the excellent work done. With respect and deep gratitude to the whole team and the past President Professor Genka Petrova!
As a major factor in our achievements over the years, I take into account the professionalism in the work, as well as established good relations with representatives of various political and financial institutions, key health institutions, eg, the Ministry of Health, the National Health Insurance Fund, the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee, the Ministry of Finance, the Price and Reimbursement Council, as well as our very good contacts with the representatives of the whole pharmaceutical industry. This has allowed us to have a broader view of critical points in healthcare.
What advice would you have for current chapter presidents? What characteristics make a chapter successful, and what are the strengths of your chapter?
I am convinced that all my colleagues are doing everything they can to see from the perspective of the stakeholder. At the same time, I also know that there is not one solution that could fit everywhere. Therefore, I believe that we should constantly strive to improve our professionalism and teamwork. My personal belief is that academia must be the leading approach, with the general support of all members. Only the overall contribution expresses the whole picture. One for all, all for one.
As a HEOR professional working during this important time for the sector, how do you see the future of HEOR? How has your chapter contributed to improve HEOR in your country?
For me, HEOR is a dynamic, vibrant ecosystem that is constantly evolving. Therefore, we must not only keep up with this development, but also be at the heart of its improvement. On behalf of my colleagues from ISPOR’s Bulgaria Chapter, I express my satisfaction that we have been and are at the heart of the validation of HEOR in Bulgaria since our inception. The foundations of the dialogue with the institutions in health were laid, and many trainings and workshops on current and important topics were organized and aimed not only at the health authorities but also at the patient organizations. Several leading European specialists were invited who shared extensive experience in the field of health economics. HEOR is becoming more common in healthcare. A lot more needs to be done locally and I sincerely hope that with common help and assistance we will make our intentions happen.
