Going Dutch: The Netherlands is taking to the digital health stage at #HIMSS21Europe
Photo by David Sacks/ Getty Images
The Netherlands has positioned itself as a rising digital health star in Europe over the last few years.
Research by HIMSS found that alongside the Nordic countries, the Netherlands is viewed as a role model for the adoption and use of eHealth in Europe.
So, it may come as no surprise that Dutch experts will feature prominently at the HIMSS21 & Health 2.0 European Health Conference, which will take place virtually on 7-9 June this year.
Focus on data flow
With more patient information and data available than ever before, integrated systems of care play a crucial part in the day-to-day life of healthcare organisations.
In the session, 'Good morning from The Netherlands', a host of speakers will explore strategies to promote a healthy flow of data, share best practices and highlight real-world exemplary case studies.
The experts will discuss how to ensure data gathered for individual patient treatment, population health management, assessment and monitoring of health systems outcomes, and scientific research, is used with efficiency and transparency.
The following digital health experts from The Netherlands will contribute:
- Constantijn van Oranje, envoy, Techleap.nl
- Aarnould Overkamp, chairman, Association Innovative Medicines
- Dr Xander Verbeek, head of research & development, IKNL
- Paul Hillman, CIO, Maastricht UMC+
- Marieke de Sain, clinical informatician, Princess Máxima Center for Paediatric Oncology
- Dr Bart Pinxteren, GP, Huisartsen Oog in AI
- Dr Egge van der Poel, freelance data scientist, EggeWel
Government representatives discuss Dutch digital health strategy
The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (MOH) will also play a key role at the HIMSS event. Digital health policy coordinator, Herko Coomans, will contribute to a discussion on data lakes and secondary use, exploring strategies to fluidify the exchange of health information in Europe and enable public-private data collaborations. Coomans was involved in setting up the National Health Information Council in 2013-17, which set the course for patient access, interoperability and health information exchange in The Netherlands
Experts from the MOH will also participate in a forum focusing on national digital health strategies. Ulco de Boer, senior policy advisor on data exchange and Jan Eric Slot, specialist advisor on the national programmes on outcome measurements for shared decision making, will discuss the role of large-scale evaluation programmes in promoting digital adoption and supporting the development of more robust digital agendas.
Dutch healthcare leaders bring their expertise to the European table
Dutch health tech giant Royal Phillips is one of the industry players taking part in this year’s event. The firm’s chief innovation and strategy officer, Dr Shez Partovi, will contribute his clinical, entrepreneurial, and cloud expertise to a discussion on widening the perspective on digital maturity.
Meanwhile, addressing the important topic of health inequity beyond COVID-19, Dr Deborah Maufi, chief medical officer at Dutch startup Babymoon Care BV, will join a session on the role of data and technology in building more equitable health systems.
Maufi will offer expertise from her extensive experience of working on preventive, interventional and digital health projects for maternal, newborn health, sexual and reproductive health in Africa and Europe.
She is also part of team participating in the semi-finals of the Global Maternal Health Tech Challenge, an initiative in partnership Accelerate Health, to crowdsource solutions to save mothers’ lives around the world.
Also broaching the topic of maternal health, Dr Franka Cadée, president of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), will bring insights from her anthropological and midwifery expertise to the keynote on combining digital with compassionate care. As a strong proponent of a human rights-based approach to healthcare, Cadée will discuss how the human connection between clinicians and patients can be preserved, despite the challenges of new and sometimes disruptive pathways.
Meanwhile, taking to the virtual stage to discuss hospital best practices for digital transformation, is Dr Ronald Petru, CMIO and paediatric intensivist at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Drawing on his specific interest in the balance between patient safety and privacy, Petru will provide valuable insights into the challenges of advancing hospital digital adoption.
With more than 120 international speakers and 60 lectures and discussion groups, HIMSS21 Europe promises a key opportunity to learn about the digitisation of European health systems.
