Working with business 'We can't do without each other'
Innovation is in the DNA of Máxima MC (MMC). Besides our primary task - providing the best possible hospital care - we also have the ambition to contribute to innovation in the hospital care and treatments we offer.
Dries Steinmeijer, business development and funding Máxima MC: "We have doctors, nurses and other professionals in house who - in addition to their regular work - ask themselves the question: how can we improve care, optimise it, make it more efficient? We can only do that together. With knowledge institutions, fellow hospitals and the business community. We know that the business community sometimes still experiences hospitals as a closed stronghold; they have difficulty finding an entrance. At MMC, we therefore open the shutters more. Because certain innovations in healthcare will not come about without the business community. The drive of entrepreneurship is needed. And vice versa, healthcare innovators also need the knowledge, experience and input of 'our' doctors and patients. BOM is an important link here. It makes an initial selection of care innovation initiatives that come along. That is a great advantage; we as a hospital then know that the potential of a collaboration has been seriously considered."
GETTING THERE EARLY
BOM knows business well and also knows what innovative developments there are. Stephan Hulsbergen, Venture Developer Life Science & Medical Technology (LS&MT) at BOM: "We connect; bring knowledge together. Ideally, we bring matching parties around the table together at the earliest possible stage. We look at the opportunities of certain developments and innovations. What do they cost? What role do medical professionals play in the development and implementation of an innovation? And what will an innovation bring medical professionals and patients? In the end, we also examine and evaluate whether it actually delivers what we thought of beforehand. Thanks to this collaboration, we have access to medical specialism. The moment a hospital is known in the region or even internationally as an innovative player, we benefit as a province. For example, in attracting innovative foreign start-ups. They know that Brabant is the place to pioneer, because here the entire value chain, including innovative hospitals work together."
LEARNING AND INSPIRING
Together, MMC and the BOM organised two knowledge and networking sessions on Medical Robotics this summer.
Session 1: Robotics in healthcare practice.
Location: Máxima MC Veldhoven The first meeting on Wednesday 6 July focused on choosing and implementing a robot. In this meeting, employees of hospitals and nursing homes who use robotics in daily practice shared their views on its use in care. In doing so, Janneke Grutters, Associate Professor at Radboud University Nijmegen, reflected on how to examine the value of a technology for a good business case.
Session 2: Building a medical robot in Brabant.
Location: Brainport Industry Campus, Eindhoven The second session on Thursday 14 July focused on developing and building a robot. Several medical robotics companies talked about the process of finding the right application, designing and developing a robot and implementation.
Future of robotic surgery
Some great connections have already been made during these meetings. And there will be many more in the future.
Stephan: "Ultimately, we all want innovations to end up where they really matter as soon as possible. And in healthcare, that is with the patient. That is ultimately what we are all doing it for. We like to use our knowledge and our network to better connect the business community and the hospitals in Brabant, and make healthcare better."
UNIQUE REGION
North Brabant is a unique region in terms of medical technology innovations. We have some great top clinical hospitals in our province, which are also willing to open their departments to innovations. And thus for business. Máxima MC is a good example of this.
Dries Steinmeijer, business development and funding Máxima MC: "We know that the business community sometimes still experiences hospitals as a closed stronghold. At MMC we therefore open the shutters more. Because we know that certain healthcare innovations do not come about without the drive of entrepreneurship. Conversely, healthcare innovators also need the knowledge, experience and input of 'our' doctors and patients. BOM is an important link here. It knows our market and also the innovative players. When BOM links us to an entrepreneur, we know that the potential of a collaboration has already been seriously considered."
At BOM, we are committed to connecting entrepreneurs and healthcare. And especially in the field of innovation, with medical/surgical robotics as a key example. Stephan Hulsbergen, Venture Developer Life Science & Medical Technology (LS&MT) at BOM: "Ultimately, we all want innovations to get to where they really matter as soon as possible. And in healthcare, that is with the patient. That is ultimately what we are all doing it for. We are happy to use our knowledge and our network to better connect the business community and the hospitals in Brabant, and make healthcare better."
