Dear Readers,

It is with great satisfaction that we present this edition of the Revista Científica Faculdade Unimed, a true milestone celebrating the winners of the prestigious 2024 Inova+Saúde Award! This special selection of articles brings together inspiring cases from various cooperatives within the Unimed System across Brazil, covering crucial and high-impact areas in the sector: Commercial Management, Own Resources Management, Client Management, Cooperated Management, and Healthcare Innovation.

Each article is a meticulously documented success story, detailing innovative initiatives, effective management strategies, and distinctive approaches to healthcare delivery. Our objective in publishing these works is not only to value and grant deserved visibility to these valuable initiatives but also to significantly broaden their dissemination. We want them to serve as a rich source of inspiration and reference for all members of the Unimed System, encouraging the replication of best practices and the continuous pursuit of excellence. Furthermore, we hope this content will be equally relevant to anyone interested in new and transformative ways of thinking about hospital management and healthcare in our country's current landscape.

Delving deeper into the relevance of innovation, this edition features an exclusive and insightful interview with Professor Dr. Fábio Leite Gastal, Academic Director of Faculdade Unimed. Dr. Gastal shares profound insights into the conception of the Inova+Saúde Award, from its creation in 2015 by Seguros Unimed in partnership with Faculdade Unimed. He elaborates on the fundamental importance of this award for the development of cooperativism and the continuous evolution of Health Plan Operators (OPSs). The interview further explores how scientific rigor and the constant drive for innovation can, together, significantly transform the future of the Unimed System. A point he emphasizes is the unique independent evaluation process of the award, conducted by external specialists to the System, which ensures the impartiality, credibility, and high quality of the recognized works.

And speaking of recognizing innovation and fostering knowledge, we are proud to highlight a significant point for the Unimed System: the International Mission to Berlin, Germany, held between September 30 and October 4, 2024, with the winners of the 2022 and 2023 Inova+Saúde Award editions. This initiative, promoted by Seguros Unimed with the essential support of Faculdade Unimed, aims to provide a rich and immersive agenda of innovative experiences in the global healthcare sector. The delegation had the unique opportunity to visit centers of excellence in applied health technology, such as Campus Berlin-Buch, BiotechPark Berlin-Buch, the renowned Fraunhofer Institute (IPK), and the prestigious Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Moreover, the mission was crucial for strengthening networking with strategic international partners. The primary goal of this immersion is to promote an intense exchange of knowledge and allow the initiatives observed abroad to inspire and be adapted to the context and specific needs of Brazilian cooperatives, thereby fostering more active, bold, and innovative development throughout the entire Unimed System.

We firmly believe that an in-depth reading of these materials will offer valuable perspectives and help stimulate reflection on the vital role of science, research, and technology in building a supplementary healthcare system that is increasingly sustainable, efficient, accessible, and, above all, focused on the patient's holistic well-being.

Once again, we extend our most sincere congratulations to all participants and, especially, to the talented finalists and winners of the 2024 Inova+Saúde Award. May their achievements and the dissemination of their innovative ideas inspire all of us to continue tirelessly pursuing excellence and innovation for better health for everyone.

We wish you all an excellent and enriching read!