In the seemingly endless stream of data flowing between healthcare parties, the healthcare provider is armed with only a basic set of data. Superficial data like names, date of birth, blood pressure, etc., is not enough. But for proper diagnosis, treatment or support, it is not enough to know where a patient lives. What if data tells not only when an appointment is, but also how the patient can really be helped substantively? Wim Eurlings, director of RSO Zuid-Limburg, leads a mission to achieve just that: to ensure that all essential care and health information is available safely and completely at the right time and place.
This requires a different view of digitization and information management. Wim Eurlings explains: ''In the current situation you see that data exchange in practice amounts to copying data. As RSO Zuid-Limburg, we are convinced that you have to leave data at the source. We respect the autonomy of healthcare providers, their professional secrecy, their duty of care and their specialized knowledge. So logically, the data also stays as close as possible to them, at the place where it was collected and where the responsibility lies.''
Data as an Ecosystem
Part of the challenge to achieving this lies in the variety of software systems that health care providers use. The systems are not automatically linked to each other. Wim Eurlings nods and explains: ''RSO Zuid-Limburg stands for data cooperation and from that angle we also challenged the suppliers in the market and together we arrived at a solution. A regional data ecosystem, as a node within a nationwide network, with supplier-neutral data availability. Soon we will start the first live test to see if the solution we came up with on paper can work in practice. Patients count on us. His care providers take it for granted that we will ensure that soon the right and complete information will be available safely at the right time and in the right place.''
During Care & ict 2024, on Tuesday, April 9, from 2:30 to 3 p.m. in the Partner Theatre (Theatre 3), Wim Eurlings will elaborate on the topic of ''data as an ecosystem.'' He will present this together with Stephanie Wijbrandts, director REN and Albert-Jan Mante, member of the board of directors of Bravis Hospital and of REN. Register for free admission to Zorg & ict and attend this session as well.
