Implementing digital medication management in hospitals – Belgium
3 September 2026 - Online event
Overview
How can hospitals successfully plan, implement and scale digital medication management? Building on EHMA’s work on the topic, the session presented practical implementation tools, European policy developments and real-world hospital experiences to support informed decision-making and successful implementation. Participants also explored the business case for digitalisation through evidence on return on investment and heard directly from hospitals that have successfully implemented digital medication management solutions.
The Masterclass enabled participants to:
- Gain practical guidance through the EHMA Managers’ Guide to support the planning and implementation of digital medication management pathways in hospitals.
- Learn from real-world implementation experiences shared by European hospitals and healthcare experts, including practical challenges, success factors and lessons learnt.
- Understand the organisational and financial considerations for digitalisation, including evidence on the return on investment of digital medication management.
- Discuss practical approaches to strengthening medication safety, operational efficiency and hospital pharmacy services through digital transformation.
- Explore the implications of recent European policy developments for medication management and how hospitals can prepare for their implementation.
Dr Daniele Bellavia
Dr Daniele Bellavia
Research Associate, LIUC University, Italy
Daniele Bellavia is a Research Fellow at the School of Management Engineering at Carlo Cattaneo LIUC University, and member of the adjunct faculty of LIUC Business School.
His primary research interests revolve around healthcare management, where he applies advanced techniques such as Activity-Based Costing and economic evaluation of health technologies to optimize healthcare processes and enhance operational efficiency.
Daniele’s work aims to bridge the gap between engineering principles and healthcare applications, ensuring that health systems are both effective and economically sustainable.
Ms Francine de Stoppelaar
Ms Francine de Stoppelaar
Co-Founder, The Asclepius Project, United Kingdom
Francine de Stoppelaar has a 25+ year career in leadership roles within the healthcare sector, driving efficiencies across all operations and spearheading innovation through new technology.
With an international background, she has worked in British, American, Dutch and UAE health care systems and is a Doctor of Pharmacy.
Francine de Stoppelaar has led on Cleveland Clinic London’s hospital wide operational activation as well as the implementation of a Closed Loop Medicines Optimisation model, first in the UK, now fully operational. She was awarded the Cleveland Clinic CEO team award and Team Innovation award for the successful activation of Cleveland Clinic London. Additionally, her team was nominated for the UK 2022 and 2023 Laing Buisson Innovation award for the implementation of CCL’s unique closed loop medicines administration model.
At the end of 2023 she was announced to be among the Top 50 Innovators of 2023, recognised by Intelligent Health AI.
Most recently, Francine de Stoppelaar has co-founded the Asclepius Project, a European wide excellence platform driving digital transformation and automation of medicines optimisation processes in hospitals across Europe.
She holds an Associate Professorship at The University of Leicester and completed her PharmD and MSc at Utrecht & Maastricht University in The Netherlands. Additionally, she is an Associate at Deloitte UK, completed a Certificate in Business Administration at Warwick Business School and a Digital Transformation Leadership module at Harvard Medical School.
Ms Sofie Peeters
Ms Sofie Peeters
Chief Hospital Pharmacist, AZ Turnhout, Belgium
Sofie Peeters is Chief Head Pharmacist at AZ Turnhout and has been active as a hospital pharmacist since 2014. After graduating as a pharmacist in 2009, she first gained three years of experience in the public pharmacy. She then followed the advanced master’s degree in hospital pharmacy.
Ms Alexis Strader
Ms Alexis Strader
Director of Policy and Research, European Health Management Association (EHMA), Belgium
Alexis Strader is a seasoned public health professional with over fourteen years of experience across the public and private sectors.
Currently, as Director of Policy and Research at the European Health Management Association (EHMA), she leads the policy and research team and serves on the senior leadership team, where she brings her passion for EU policy and research to the forefront. Known for her strategic vision, project management expertise, and consensus-building skills, Alexis drives impactful initiatives to address systemic public health challenges. Committed to collaboration and innovation, she is dedicated to tackling systemic challenges in public health management to drive better outcomes for communities.
She holds dual Master’s degrees in Business Administration and International Development from American University.
Ms Federica Margheri - Event's moderator
Ms Federica Margheri - Event's moderator
Executive Director, European Health Management Association (EHMA), Belgium
Ms Federica Margheri is Executive Director of the European Health Management Association (EHMA), where she leads the organisation’s strategic direction and represents the voice of health management at European and international level. She engages regularly with the European Parliament, the European Commission, the World Health Organization, national authorities, industry and civil society, promoting health management as a strategic lever for resilient, sustainable and people-centred health systems.
She works at the intersection of the EHMA membership, Board of Directors and Secretariat, ensuring the effective delivery of the Association’s mission and strengthening its role as a convenor of policy dialogue, research collaboration and professional exchange across Europe. A central part of her role is building and maintaining partnerships with European institutions, international organisations and project consortia, as well as overseeing EHMA’s portfolio of EU-funded initiatives and flagship events.
Ms Margheri brings over 15 years of experience in project and financial management, communications, operations, administration and governance within European and international organisations. Prior to joining EHMA, she worked with international NGOs and held positions at the European Commission and the European Parliament. She holds a Master’s degree in Policy and Diplomacy and a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy.
Materials
Slide deck
Download FileWhite Paper on the digitalisation of medication management
Download FileHow-to Managers' Guidebook
Download FileThis masterclass was supported by Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD).
What our Members say
I have been active in EHMA since the first years of the '90s and I have seen its evolution from a small association of members interested in sharing knowledge on health management practices to the current status of reference and advisory key player for EU, health systems and organisations, stakeholders associations, industry and universities. EHMA is now a unique knowledge hub, policy advisor, community of practice and network of best in class organisations involved in health policy and management. A place where health managers can build their competences, policy-makers and stakeholder associations envision how to implement and sustain change through health management, industry leaders understand how to engage more effectively with health organisations and systems. The right place to nurture and grow health management capabilities and capacity for every stakeholder of health systems.
Prof Federico Lega, University of Milan, Italy
Health management has a crucial function in shaping public health and health system challenges. The Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria had success in collaborating with EHMA on EU-funded projects that has resourced us to create new health management competencies for the future workforce. In addition to all classical definitions, health management is a science dealing with individuals, groups, and society at large. It is an art contributing to the beauty of our lives and an interactive communication process at all levels of institutions and human energy. I have also had the pleasure to chair the South Eastern European Special Interest Group which gives members a space to discuss and tools to address how health systems are managed in our regions.
Prof Todorka Kostadinova, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria
I enjoy the high level of interaction and engagement in EHMA’s activities, in particular during the annual conference where the panel discussions are rich and well prepared. As a hospital manager and professor of health management, EHMA motivates and inspires me to be creative. You go back home feeling energised from seeing old friends and making new connections, as well as being convinced of serving as EHMA’s ambassador. It’s a strong feeling of interdisciplinary engagement, but it also feels like being part of family-like community.
Prof Sandra C. Buttigieg, MD, University of Malta, Malta
Health workforce has become more essential in operating, managing and maintaining health systems lately, particularly in crisis and emergency situations. European healthcare professions and the workforce need to be high on the agenda of managers and decision makers. The Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University in Hungary is a longstanding EHMA member, because it connects us with collaborators and experts, with whom we can have complex debates, from whom we can learn and at the end find solutions in various challenging fields of healthcare management.
Dr Eszter Kovács, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University, Hungary
As a hospital administrator and health management professor, I see on a daily basis that the healthcare challenges require talented and skilled managers to transform it. the EHMA membership has been beneficial to bring healthcare management research and education to the demanding healthcare services world, promoting healthcare management competencies and knowledge creation.
Dr Alexandre Lourenco, APAH - Association of Portuguese Hospital Managers, Portugal
Many healthcare systems in Europe and beyond are facing similar challenges which require innovative and creative solutions. EHMA’s annual conference, webinars, Programme Directors’ group and other activities and resources provide incredible opportunities for networking, connecting and sharing experiences. A distinct feature of EHMA is the diversity of members with representation from many countries, sectors and different communities of practice – academic, policy-makers, practitioners, managers, leaders and students. The annual conference is a highlight in the calendar year, offering a friendly, fun and learningful environment for emerging and established members to engage, collaborate and meet up with old and new friends. I am proud to be a member of the EHMA Board.
Prof Ann Mahon, University of Manchester, UK
Society evolution, pandemics and ageing modify health needs. So, health policies and services are to change dramatically. EHMA, through webinars, workshops and annual conference provides an excellent insight to a professional changing world, favouring closeness to management innovation and the protagonists of these changes. As a primary care services’ manager, participating in EHMA activities is really worth it and allows to involve oneself in the innovation processes.
Antoni Peris-Grao, MD, Consorci Castelldefels Agents de Salut (CASAP), Spain