External Affairs Directorate

Mrs Véronique Maye Voutat
Mrs Véronique Maye Voutat
Director

Vision

  • Assert HUG leadership and excellence in terms of care, teaching, research and innovation.
  • Promote the culture of openness and partnership with a broad network nationally and internationally.
  • Position HUG as an institution that lives up to its social and economic responsibilities.

Duties

  • Coordinate and steer External Affairs in a manner consistent with HUG strategic priorities
  • Consolidate and integrate all HUG External Affairs fields of activity: cantonal, regional, national, international and humanitarian in coordination with relevant HUG divisions
  • Develop and promote collaborative projects and excellence-driven partnerships with different hospital facilities and health stakeholders in Western Switzerland, Switzerland and abroad
  • Promote and strengthen relationships with health facilities in the France-Vaud-Geneva region, including cross-border care
  • Vaud-Geneva Association: Office of the Secretary General, project coordination and management
  • Develop and maintain relationships with Geneva International, especially international organizations, diplomatic circles, the Permanent Mission of Switzerland with respect to the UNOG, the CAGI (Geneva Welcome Center)
  • Develop and sustain relationships in economic circles (multinationals, chambers of commerce, Geneva Economic Development Office)
  • Assist the General Directorate with health policy cases (Public Health Directorate, FOPH, CDS, etc.) and anticipate changes to the Swiss Healthcare System and the impact of federal policy
  • Contribute to the development of the private sector of HUG
  • Strengthen HUG’s influence and appeal to patients and staff, especially by publicizing the excellence of HUG specialists
  • Represent HUG at various conferences and public events

 

Four strategic priorities for External Affairs

1) Regional and National Network

  • Strengthen and promote the France-Vaud-Geneva health region
    • Strengthen the cross-border care network: facilitate access to care for cross-border patients, invest in creating a cross-border health region in collaboration with neighboring French authorities.
    • Vaud-Geneva Association: close cooperation with the CHUV (Lausanne University Hospital) and creation of Western Swiss Centers of expertise.
    • Collaborate with health organizations and facilities in the Geneva region and Greater Geneva (private practice physicians, private clinics, EMS, imad and other partners)
  • Foster the development of knowledge sharing networks, best practices and the development of expertise with University and non-University Swiss Hospitals

2) International Network

  • Create a network with hospitals of similar scale, via the International Hospital Federation (IHF) and with the High Value Healthcare Collaborative Association (a collaboration via the Care Quality Division)
  • Develop relationships with international organizations based in Geneva (UNO, WHO, CERN and others).
  • Réseau Mère-Enfant de la Francophonie (Mother-Child French-Speaking Network), bringing together a number of university hospitals from the North and South: sharing knowledge and best practices, multicenter research projects.
  • Development and transfer of HUG expertise, on a clinical, organizational and also managerial level, to health facilities in requesting countries.
  • Collaborate and network with a number of countries in the field of care, in collaboration with the HUG private sector.

3) Humanitarian Commitment and Development assistance

  • Transfer of expertise (patient care, teaching, research protocol) with the aim of developing local resources in southern developing countries.
  • Contribute to the maintenance and development of HUG expertise in highly specialized medicine (heart surgery, noma surgical treatment) ensuring access to sufficient operating volumes to support training activities.
  • Disaster/humanitarian emergency interventions in crisis situations (contracted and non-contracted).
  • Caring for patients with complex pathologies on a humanitarian rate.

4) Geneva Health Forum

  • The External Affairs Directorate is responsible for managing the Geneva Health Forum.
Last update : 12/07/2022