A 3D-printed feeler gauge with a pressure sensor for a knee replacement, wound healing via phototherapy, and new antimicrobial surface area materials: these are just a few examples of research projects that received funding in 2019 from the Pioneers in Health Care fund. With this innovative fund, the University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Medical Spectrum Twente (MST), Deventer Hospital, and Hospital Group Twente (ZGT) support regional medical-technological research. On Monday 9 December ten research teams were awarded innovation money totaling six hundred thousand euros at the Deventer Hospital.
Pioneers in Health Care (PIHC) is a unique fund for medical-technological research in the regions Salland and Twente. Teams consisting of at least a healthcare professional (hospitals) and a researcher (UT/Saxion) do research together. A prerequisite to participate in the fund is that the research leads to better patient care. To achieve this, six hundred thousand euros is available this year.
The vouchers were awarded on 9 December in the Deventer Hospital. On behalf of all involved parties Gita Gallé, Chairwoman of the Board of the Deventer Hospital says: “PIHC contributes to the reinforcement of the collaboration between healthcare institutions and knowledge institutions. This produces great research and innovation projects that contribute to the application of new technologies in healthcare. Good to see how hospitals in the area and research institutions work together to improve healthcare for the patient.”
Huge diversity
The winning projects cover a broad application area: from orthopedics and oncology to neurostimulation, OR scheduling, chemotherapy, and new developments for COPD patients. It is the sixth time that the PIHC vouchers are awarded. By now, more than 50 research projects have been carried out using the PIHC funds. They have demonstrably contributed to better patient care, according to PIHC project manager Jojanneke Schuiling-Jukes: “Results drawn from previous years have reached general practitioners and hospitals. It is great to see new collaborations emerging between researchers and clinicians. Technology is combined and adjusted to new application areas, and even artificial intelligence is finding its way to application in hospitals.”
