As initiators and boosters of the Innovation Partner Group, we at ICT&health are delighted that Medicinfo has also joined this initiative. Medicinfo has been active for almost 25 years in supporting Dutch healthcare with (digital) remote care. They also closely follow developments in healthcare and see several digital innovations that will play a key role in making healthcare accessible and future-proof in the coming years. As a new member of the Innovation Partner Group, Medicinfo will share its knowledge and expertise with healthcare via the ICT&health platform.
Medicinfo focuses on creating cohesion between healthcare providers, technology and patients. By using digital tools, such as a central digital gateway for patients, the organization contributes to a more efficient and calming healthcare experience. This enables both caregivers and patients to take more control of the care process, while reducing wait times and workloads.
At the end of January, Medicinfo will of course also be present at the ICT&health World Conference (January 28 to 30) in the MECC. We asked Medicinfo's management team, Caroline Besuijen and Steven van Kemenade, three questions about the partnership, their contribution at the World Conference and what they see as The Next Big Thing in the field of (digital) healthcare innovations and developments.
Why did Medicinfo become an Innovation Partner?
The Dutch healthcare system is at a crossroads. Continuing the traditional system is no longer sufficient to cope with the increasing demand for care. Innovation is necessary to ensure accessibility and quality. Medicinfo will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025. We were founded at the time when the Internet was taking off in general use. From then on, Medicinfo has continuously explored the possibilities of technology and digitization to develop services that could support healthcare.
We see it as our task to make the knowledge and experience we have gained more widely available. Not only in primary care in which we are now particularly active but also in secondary care, VVT and broader care in the chain. The way we facilitate hybrid care has the potential to support many more areas of care and therefore we feel it is important to make this more widely known and connect with relevant partners. Our goal is to work together, learn together, and thus keep improving care. So that care remains accessible to everyone who needs it.
Medicinfo is also present at the ICT&health World Conference. What do you think is important to tell there? And why should conference participants definitely attend miss your presentation(s)?
Medicinfo has been active for almost 25 years in supporting Dutch healthcare with (digital) remote care. In recent years, we have mainly worked with GP practices, GP surgeries and care groups to reduce the workload of practice teams and set up care pathways more efficiently.
We now have many insights into how to effectively integrate digital technologies with traditional on-site care. Based on the first hybrid care initiatives, we are happy to share lessons learned, success factors and challenges. The goal is to provide input for the development of regional plans and initiatives as a follow-up to the IZA, in which hybrid care and regional cooperation are important spearheads to future-proof care.
With our presentation at the congress we will provide, based on practical cases, useful insights and concrete tools for healthcare professionals and policy makers to work together on accessible and high-quality care in the region.
What new (digital) innovations are you following and/or does Medicinfo see as 'The Next Big Thing' for 2025 and beyond?
At Medicinfo, we closely follow developments in healthcare and see several digital innovations that will play a key role in making healthcare accessible and future-proof in the coming years. A major challenge facing the healthcare sector is the growing gap between the demand for care and the number of available care providers. This requires a new approach, with remote care becoming an essential component.
The technology for remote care is already there, but the infrastructure and work processes must be further fine-tuned to make the best use of it. Medicinfo can play a coordinating role here. Our experience with coordinating care at a distance, determining which care should be provided at which time by which care provider, fits well with the national plans for more care coordination centers. These centers focus on providing care in the right place, something we already have extensive experience with. Our approach allows us to work across domains, which is essential for scaling up care solutions. It is important that organizations do not have to keep reinventing the wheel, which is why we are happy to share our knowledge and lessons learned.
Innovations that we follow in this context and consider 'The Next Big Thing' include:
- Remote care enrichment: through new technologies, such as digital triage that we are already deploying and AI, we can further optimize care processes. For example, AI can help diagnose and monitor patients remotely, making care more efficient and accessible.
- Integration of digital systems: seamless integration of various digital healthcare systems is crucial to making care more efficient and patient centered. This involves not only technical links, but also the adaptation of work processes and care pathways.
- Digital triage: through advanced triage algorithms, patients can be referred to the right healthcare provider faster and more effectively. This not only relieves healthcare providers, but also ensures that patients receive the right care faster.
At Medicinfo, we believe that keeping healthcare accessible is only possible by using innovations intelligently and collaborating with various healthcare parties. The key lies in scaling up and sharing knowledge. Through our role as coordinator and our expertise in remote care, we can make a valuable contribution to the future of healthcare.
From January 28 to 30, 2025, the world's top healthcare professionals and policymakers will gather once again at the ICT&health World Conference in MECC Maastricht to discover this and shape the future of healthcare together! Medicinfo will also be there and provide various side sessions and presentations. Don't miss it and register here!
