A thought-provoking story, meaningful discussion, infectious enthusiasm and hopefulness for the future of digital healthcare. This, in a nutshell, is how we can describe the screening of the documentary CODE:LIFE in Plovdiv that took place on July 26, 2023, in the AULA MAGNA of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, last week. The story presented in the film not only captured the hearts and minds of its viewers, but also presented the importance of technology in creating a more sustainable healthcare system capable of enhancing the well-being of society.
The screening of the documentary, inspired and created by the Digital Health and Innovation Cluster (DHI Cluster), took place with the close support of Medical University-Plovdiv (MU-Plovdiv) and raised important and indispensable topics for the future of Bulgarian healthcare, including the importance of educational institutions in stimulating the process of digitalization of healthcare.
The event was attended by Dr. Kalin Kalinov – Director of the Directorate of Healthcare in Plovdiv Municipality, Dr. Veselka Hristamian – Chair of the Healthcare Committee of the Municipal Council, Mira Ganova, Executive Director of the Cluster (DHI Cluster), Dr. Rosen Dimitrov, Chairman of the Board of the Cluster, as well as members of the Rector’s leadership, in the face of Prof. Dr. Mariana Murdjeva – Rector of MU-Plovdiv, and Prof. Dr. Blagoy Marinov – Deputy Rector of the Cluster. Rector for Research of MU-Plovdiv and Director of the Medical Simulation Training Center, as well as lecturers, students, employees and guests.
According to Prof. Dr. Mariana Murdjeva, CODE:LIFE is a film that “raises many questions and provides some answers” when it comes to the country’s healthcare system. “It is no coincidence that the screening of the film is right here at this university. As mentioned in the film, for digital solutions to be possible in healthcare, we need to start by implementing them in education. This is one of the missions of our university, a mission that we have followed relentlessly for the past four years,” she added.
Prof. Dr. Blagoy Marinov, who was the host and main enthusiast for the screening, also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to present CODE:LIFE to the community and health circles of Plovdiv. This endeavor, he said, opens the discussion about how crucial the role of educational institutions is in the digitalization of healthcare and how they can serve as a bridge between “where we are now and where we want to be.”
According to Dr. Rosen Dimitrov, in recent years, the country has made increasing efforts to optimize and accelerate the process of health digitalization. “Positive things are happening in Bulgaria,” he said, after citing data published by “Information Service,” concerning the level of digitalization of health services.
Dr. Kalin Kalinov also shared positive views on the future of Bulgarian healthcare. According to him, the topic addressed in the film is “multi-layered and certainly gives rise to a debate that will continue over time”. But being “pushed to the wall,” society and the governing bodies must bring this debate to the most positive and timely outcome possible. “I believe the future is near,” he concluded.
The screening of CODE:LIFE at MU-Plovdiv is just of the many initiatives undertaken by the Cluster to stimulate collaboration between different institutional units in order to support health digitalization on a larger level through the power of proactivity.
“I am extremely impressed by what the university is doing and I hope that many more people will be infected with the enthusiasm of MU-Plovdiv and with their zeal for change, because the road to a successful digitalization is undoubtedly difficult. It involves a lot of stress and breeds resistance due to its evolving nature. The way to overcome this resistance and move along with developed health societies lies in being proactive. We cannot wait. We must act!” said Mira Ganova, Executive Director of the Cluster, in the closing part of the event.
