Public Procurement in the Healthcare Sector

Public procurement in the healthcare sector presents unique challenges: urgent needs, strict regulatory requirements, complex supply chains, and rapidly evolving markets for medicines, medical devices, digital health tools and innovation. This course provides a comprehensive and practice-oriented introduction to the specificities of healthcare procurement, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate this demanding environment effectively.

Over two intensive days, you will explore the core elements of strategic procurement, supply chain management, digital tools, risk assessment, innovation procurement, value-based approaches, and sustainability. You will understand how the EU Public Procurement Directives apply to healthcare purchasing and how compliance obligations, market dynamics and regulatory frameworks – including the Medical Devices Regulation and new rules on digital health – shape procurement decisions.

The training combines conceptual clarity with hands-on practice. Participants will examine real cases, exercises and simulations, including supply chain disruptions, innovation procurement models, and the design of strategic and sustainable award criteria. You will also explore the role of procurement in crisis preparedness, supplier collaboration, contract management and performance monitoring.

Key topics include:

• The specificities of public procurement in healthcare
• Public procurement of innovation (PCP, PPI, Innovation Partnerships)
• Supply chain management in health and resilience strategies
• Strategic procurement planning and multilevel governance
• Digital health regulations and e-procurement tools
• Medical devices specifications and regulatory compliance
• Value-based procurement and patient-centred outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will have a clearer understanding of how to build more resilient, strategic and innovation-friendly procurement systems, while ensuring compliance with EU law and delivering better value for healthcare organisations and citizens.

What will you learn?

You will learn how EU procurement rules apply in the healthcare sector, how to integrate strategic and innovation-oriented approaches, how to strengthen supply chains, and how to use digital tools and regulations effectively. You will also develop practical skills through exercises, simulations and real case examples.

The course uses a balanced mix of expert presentations, case studies, hands-on exercises, group discussions and simulations. Participants receive comprehensive documentation and background materials, and benefit from exchanges with practitioners from across Europe.

You will receive access to all course materials. After the course, you can consult the slides, background documents and additional resources for six months, supporting continued learning and practical application. A certificate of attendance is provided at the end of the course.

This course will help you manage healthcare procurement procedures more effectively and confidently. You will be able to design better strategies, anticipate risks, comply with regulatory frameworks, work more effectively with suppliers and incorporate value-based and innovation-oriented approaches. You will also gain concrete tools to improve the resilience and efficiency of your organisation’s procurement processes.

After the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply EU procurement rules correctly in healthcare contexts
• Plan and manage complex procurements with greater confidence
• Work with innovation-friendly procedures (PCP, PPI, Innovation Partnerships)
• Use digital tools and data to improve procurement decisions
• Assess supply chain risks and design resilience strategies
• Implement value-based and sustainable criteria
• Navigate the regulatory landscape for medical devices and digital health

The course is intended for those who deal with public procurement in the Healthcare Sector (hospital managers, lawyers, judges, auditors etc.), as well as public officials from national and sub-national authorities and other public bodies in EU Member States and candidate countries and in European institutions, agencies and bodies. It is also open to the private stakeholders involved in these procedures (pharmaceutical companies, medical devices vendors etc) with interest in the area.

Project number: 2630811

Course venue
Grupotel Gran Via 678
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 678
08010 Barcelona (ES)

Project Management Officer
Ms Belinda Vetter
Tel: +31 43 3296382
b.vetter@eipa.eu

Fee
The fee includes documentation, refreshments, and lunches. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Discounts
EIPA member fee
EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.

Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

Early bird discount
The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.

Loyalty coupon
As a token of appreciation we offer all our participants a loyalty coupon for one of our future courses. The offer can be shared with colleagues and relevant networks. The coupon will expire one year after its release. This discount is not cumulative with other discounts, except for the EIPA member fee.

Meals
Dietary preferences can be indicated on the registration form.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed online registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.

Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged €150 for cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.

EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 2 weeks before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, accommodation, etc.).

A few days before the start of the course you will receive the log-in details for accessing the course materials. You can log in here.