HomeNewsWinners of the Pioneers in Health Care Innovation Fund announced
Fotographer: Dennis Moekotte

Winners of the Pioneers in Health Care Innovation Fund announced

On Thursday 19 January the Pioneers in Health Care Innovation Fund vouchers were awarded to the 11 winning research projects in the eastern region of the Netherlands. 

Through this innovation fund, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the University of Twente (UT), MST, Deventer Hospital, ZGT and Reggeborgh encourage sustainable cooperation between the world of new technologies and current medical practice. The main focus is on how to apply new technologies in healthcare that lead to better, more patient-friendly care. The award ceremony took place at the Saxion University of Applied Sciences in Enschede.

‘Twente foot model’, and an app that gives support in the treatment of childhood obesity

The fund received 32 proposals this year and 11 research teams were rewarded with a voucher. Among the proposals submitted is one on how patients can recover more quickly after foot reconstruction, with the ‘Twente foot model’. Another research project examines whether unprocessed food is less likely to cause obesity in children, with an app to give support to parents and children. Another research proposal focuses on whether we can reduce the use and abuse of opioids with an intellectual dispenser that might prevent opioid addiction. The summaries of these three, along with the other winning proposals, can be found on the website of PIHC. It is now up to the winning research teams to test the feasibility of their ideas and to further develop and evaluate the first results. 

Need for innovations in healthcare

PIHC awarded the vouchers at Saxion in Enschede on Thursday 19 January. “It has been an honour for the partners of the PIHC Innovation Fund to award vouchers this year – for the ninth time – to researchers and healthcare professionals in regional research projects relevant to better patient care”, says Anka Mulder, President of the Executive Board of Saxion. “It is extremely valuable that researchers at UT and Saxion are working with hospital clinicians on new healthcare technologies. We want to continue promoting fine collaborative initiatives of this type.”

Dr Mirre de Noo, director of Reggeborgh Medical, adds, “We believe it’s important that healthcare remains accessible and affordable for everyone. That’s why we support various research projects in many hospitals across the country. Naturally, given our roots in Twente, the regional nature of the PIHC Innovation Fund has even greater appeal to us. The partnership between regional hospitals and knowledge-based institutions is unique and very productive. Together with them, Reggeborgh is happy to make a contribution to innovation in healthcare in this region.

Development and use of technology that contributes to better health

Jojanneke Schuiling-Jukes is PIHC Innovation Fund project manager, affiliated with the UT's Technical Medical Centre. “In these projects, technology is developed that can, for instance, help doctors make the right diagnosis or choose a more precise treatment”, she explains. “The effectiveness of therapy is studied too: does the patient really benefit from this approach? The doctors give input to the researchers which help in developing the technology, and patients are involved in the development of technology that they will use. Everyone involved looks for the solution from a different perspective and this collaboration is regarded as very valuable by researchers and clinicians.”

About the Pioneers in Health Care Innovation Fund

Through the PIHC Innovation Fund, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the University of Twente (UT), MST, Deventer Hospital, ZGT and Reggeborgh encourage sustainable cooperation between the world of new technologies and current medical practice. The organisations involved jointly provide an annual budget of €660,000 for the PIHC Innovation Fund and are committed to continuing the programme for the long term.