Worldwide, the mean age increases. In the nearby future health care professionals will face new challenges, resulting in professionals in the health care and social sector who are on an ongoing quest to define their professional role and diagnostic domains. Due to the onset of new health problems, new …

This paper presents the work in progress for the Hightech@home project. The aim of this project is to develop technology and knowledge concerning open source home care technology, utilizing open standards. Currently, there is limited availability of high tech sensor and communication technology while …

In the Netherlands, like in many other developed countries, the care sector is facing challenges in a dynamic environment. Regulation is increasing, patients are becoming more critical, budget responsibility will be transferred from country- to municipality level in association with cuts in funding, …

Background: Because of an expected shrinking supply of medical doctors for hospitalist posts, an increased emphasis on efficiency and continuity of care, and the standardization of many medical procedures, the role of hospitalist is increasingly allocated to physician assistants (PAs). PAs are nonphysician …

The aim of this study is to develop sustainable and cost-efficient medicinedelivery strategies for the health care industry. The study was undertaken by Prof. Kees Jan Roodbergen and Dr Stuart X. Zhu from the University of Groningen. The report is based on a 16 month study for Work Package 8 of the ITRACT …

eHealth applications hold many promises, for instance to improve the quality of health care, to increase its accessibility, or to reduce its cost. Yet, many eHealth innovations never reach the stage where they get embedded into routine health care. This is due in part to a lack of evidence that these …

In the dynamic environment of increasing regulations, increasing patient demand, decentralization of budgets and enforcement of efficiency, small sized healthcare institutions in the Netherlands are having a difficult time. Although these service providers are usually capable of flexibly delivering healthcare, …

EHealth applications hold many promises, for instance to improve the quality of health care, to increase its accessibility, or to reduce the cost. Yet, many eHealth innovations never reach the stage where they get embedded into routine health care. This is due in part to a lack of evidence that these …

The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) has been shown to be highly efficient and (cost-)effective in reducing delirium incidence in the USA. HELP provides multicomponent protocols targeted at specific risk factors for delirium and introduces a different view on care organization, with trained volunteers …

Dutch nursing homes are currently confronted with two seemingly incompatible goals: a more client-centred approach and the necessity to reduce costs at the same time. It is becoming increasingly apparent that healthcare logistics can contribute to providing high-quality care and support at a reasonable …