The event began with opening speeches by Hüseyin YAZICI, Dr. Abdullah Yüksel BARUT, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at IGU, and Prof. Dr. S. Arda OZTURKCAN, Vice Rector of IGU. In his speech, BARUT emphasized that management is an art and that mastering this art can only be achieved through a genuine love for people.
The event continued with valuable insights from Serdar SERIN, who shared his experiences, stating, “Sometimes you need to take a step back to leap forward.” He stressed the importance of being open to new opportunities in professional life, recognizing them, and making the right moves. After answering students’ questions, SERIN concluded his session with a plaque presentation.
Osman AKÇAYOGLU followed, addressing the question, “Why is the use of technology in healthcare necessary?” He highlighted practices such as cashier-free and paperless hospital systems, illustrating the essential role of technology in healthcare. AKÇAYOGLU emphasized that artificial intelligence would play a supportive role in the healthcare sector and could be a valuable tool for healthcare managers in decision-making processes. He elaborated on various project examples and ideas, answered students' questions, and concluded his presentation with a plaque ceremony.
Necdet KANDEMİR continued the event by sharing insights about healthcare tourism. He explained the distinction between health tourism and medical tourism, underscoring Turkey’s high potential in both areas. Kandemir emphasized that healthcare managers are not limited to working in hospitals and that the healthcare tourism sector has a significant demand for trained personnel. He answered students’ questions and concluded his session with a plaque presentation.
The program then featured Gürkan KOROGLU, General Manager of ACENDIS Turkey, who discussed the continuous development of biomedical devices in healthcare. He highlighted the critical role of healthcare managers in overseeing the procurement and regular monitoring of biomedical devices. After addressing audience questions and participating in a plaque ceremony, Köroğlu concluded his session.
The event proceeded with Çiğdem ATA sharing her experiences in patient services and delivering the closing speech. She emphasized that gaining work experience during university studies could be a distinguishing factor in starting a professional career. ATA encouraged students not to shy away from attending job interviews, as even negative outcomes could provide valuable experiences. After answering students’ questions and the plaque presentation, ATA concluded her speech.
In addition to students from Istanbul Gelisim University’s Department of Healthcare Management, the event saw strong participation from students of Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul Aydın University, and Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. Celebrating the theme "Healthcare Management is Better with Us," the 18th of December Healthcare Managers’ Day was joyfully observed. The event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.
On this special day for the healthcare management profession, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our colleagues in this honorable field and to all students pursuing this path. Happy Healthcare Managers’ Day, December 18th!
