Measuring Performance to Transform Health Systems: WHO Europe Highlights the Regional Network Experience
How can regions drive health system transformation through performance assessment? This was the central question explored at the conference organized in Venice by the Management and Health Laboratory of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna) in Pisa, where the 2025 results of the performance assessment of the Regional Health Services participating in the Network coordinated by Professor Milena Vainieri were presented.
The conference was opened by Kira Fortune from the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development. Fortune highlighted the Italian experience as a valuable model for the continuous improvement of health policies and health service governance. She also emphasized the increasingly important role of regions in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing health systems today, including population ageing, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, health workforce shortages, and the growing demand for accessible, coordinated, and people-centred care.
The conference concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Professor Sabina Nuti, focusing on the value of collaboration among public institutions, academia, and international organizations in building more effective, equitable, and resilient health systems. The discussion emphasized the importance of transforming performance data into practical tools to inform public policy and support evidence-based decision-making.
