Challenge

The health and care sector across the European Union faces persistent barriers in innovation procurement. These include limited collaboration between public and private procurers, varying levels of experience in public procurement of innovation (PPI), and a lack of structured mechanisms for sharing knowledge, tools, and best practices. Many procurers operate in isolation, which results in fragmented approaches to innovation, misaligned needs, and lost opportunities for joint procurement. These issues slow down the adoption of innovative solutions and prevent the healthcare sector from reaching its full potential in terms of efficiency, quality, and responsiveness.

Solutions

Procure4Health aims to build the most extensive EU-wide reference network for innovation procurement in health and care. The project connects more than 100 public and private procurers and establishes a collaborative ecosystem where knowledge is exchanged and capacities are built. A central component is the creation of a consolidated knowledge database that includes best practices, management processes, and shared tools. In parallel, the project develops and delivers training programmes to strengthen the skills of both experienced and novice procurers. Through structured stakeholder engagement, the project identifies and prioritises shared needs across countries and organisations. These needs then form the basis for the preparation of concrete innovation procurement action plans and projects. Procure4Health also provides the environment necessary for active knowledge sharing, capacity building, and collaborative project development across all levels of the health and care system.

Results

By establishing a robust and inclusive network of procurers, Procure4Health enhances the strategic and practical capacity of the health and care sector to adopt innovation procurement as a standard practice. It reduces fragmentation by aligning common needs and promoting joint action among stakeholders across different EU countries. The project helps accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and services in healthcare by enabling informed, coordinated, and effective procurement processes. In the long term, this transformation is expected to improve healthcare outcomes, create more efficient public services, and strengthen the role of innovation in addressing societal challenges. The insights generated will also contribute to future EU-level policy-making in the field of public procurement.