Learning between European health systems: the nature of the challenge

Abstract Given their shared values and challenges, European health systems should be able to learn from each other about what works best. In practice, though, turning good practice in one place into more universal practice is stubbornly difficult even within single health systems, and has proved particularly challenging between European health systems. This session will explore the nature of the challenge to implementing innovation; the nature of what implementing innovation involves, why it proves to be so challenging in practice, and the particular challenges of learning between countries, and outline what can be done in research, policy and practice to help learning across European health systems more effectively in future.