The Brain Behind Innovation in Havířov
www.posiv.cz ǀ 43
POSITIV MAN
How did you come to lead Havířov Hospital? You‘re
not a doctor – what was your path?
I‘ve been working in healthcare since the 1990s,
originally in the field of medical technology. A major
turning point came in 2005, when I took up the position
of Chief Financial Officer at a hospital in Slovakia. Over
time, I went on to manage several hospital facilities,
eventually becoming the CEO of the Penta Hospitals
network. After returning to the Czech Republic,
I focused on healthcare consulting and spent two years
as the chief advisor to the Minister of Health. Then
came the offer to take charge of Havířov Hospital.
It was a matter of the heart, as I grew up in Havířov,
lived there for 40 years, and was even born in the local
maternity ward. I saw it as a challenge.
How long have you been managing the hospital?
Are you staying put, or are you tempted to try
something new?
I‘ve been the director for six years now. After managing
fifteen hospitals and being responsible for around six
thousand employees, I took on Havířov as a project
focused primarily on quality and long-term development.
In the private sector, the emphasis used to be on quick
profit, crisis management, optimisation and cost
reduction. In Havířov, the work is different – it has
a longer-term horizon and centres on improving
the quality of care, strengthening the hospital‘s
reputation, and expanding surgical and diagnostic
services. I‘m no longer chasing quantity, but rather
quality and a meaningful project with lasting overlap.
Where do you draw inspiration for improving quality
in the hospital? Do you follow trends or have any role
models?
I‘m constantly following international trends
and professional literature, and I take inspiration from
projects in advanced healthcare systems. I try – though
it‘s often quite challenging – to adapt and implement
those approaches in the Czech environment.
Do you attend conferences? What do you find most
valuable in that regard?
I do attend, but I’m not a fan of conferences where
the same problems are discussed over and over without
offering any real solutions. Unfortunately, there are still
plenty of those, and I find them unproductive. On the
other hand, I truly value conferences focused on best
practices – where people share how they‘ve solved
specific issues and show the way forward. That’s where
I often find new ideas.
Recently, I’ve also been speaking at conferences –
presenting the successful processes we‘ve introduced
in our hospital. And every time I share our experience,
I also gain something new from others. These exchanges
are incredibly valuable.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing
Czech healthcare?
Funding, digitalisation, and prevention. Maintaining
the current funding model is simply unsustainable
– which is why we need political consensus,
depoliticisation of healthcare, and real courage from
the future government. Digitalisation can significantly
increase efficiency and cut costs.
Another major challenge is prevention. Czech
healthcare is excellent at treating existing conditions,
but we invest very little in prevention. That needs
to change – we must focus more on preventing illness,
not just dealing with the consequences.
We’ve established an innovaon hub
because the pressure to introduce new
technologies in hospitals is immense.
The Brain Behind Innovaon
in Havířov
At a me when Czech healthcare is facing numerous challenges, a clear signal from Havířov proves
that change is possible – provided it‘s led by someone with vision, experience and the courage
to do things dierently. Director Ing. Norbert Schellong, MPH, has transformed the local hospital
into a respected medical instuon and an innovaon hub. He speaks openly and purposefully
about his journey, the obstacles he encountered, and the future of healthcare.