Taboos on Decision-Making in the Healthcare System

Fourth Dialogue on Science,
28th to 30th September 2005 in Engelberg

From 28 to 30 September 2005 the participants came together to consider the question “Decision-making in the Health-Service“. It was intended to look critically at progress in the health system on the one hand and the nature of decision-making on the other.

At the 4th Dialogue on Science, the Academia Engelberg intended to change the now familiar conference procedure. The idea was that participants should swap roles, represent opposing opinions and thus be confronted with their own taboos. Play has been used as a way of breaking through forbidden ideas and temporarily accepting unaccustomed and unusual roles. Participants had questioned the automatisms associated with their own position.

Despite everything!

As a mark of solidarity with the population and the tourism region of Engelberg affected by the recent catastrophic weather conditions, the conference had taken place in spite of some restrictions in Engelberg. In these difficult times, the people of Engelberg have shown great courage and powers of endurance. The Academia Engelberg Foundation acknowledges the engagement shown by the population and has quite consciously held the 4th Dialogue on Science in Engelberg as a mark of solidarity.

By way of an exception, the conference language this year was mostly German (without translation service).