Regional and local cooperation

Of course, besides international and national cooperation, our regional and local collaborations are essential for healthcare, research and education. Some worthwhile developments in 2021 include:

Oncomid

To give people with cancer the best care in the right place, we work with other hospitals in Midden-Nederland in the regional oncological network Oncomid . Besides UMC Utrecht, the Antonius Hospital, Diakonessenhuis, Meander Medical Center, Rivierenland Hospital, and Tergooi MC also take part in Oncomid. In 2021, Gelderse Vallei Hospital also joined Oncomid. Together, we provide oncological care in the region, an area with about 2,000,000 people. Together we share knowledge and conduct scientific research. We see to it that patients always benefit from the latest insights and techniques, and that we continue to update oncological care. General practitioners are closely involved in this regional network and spend a lot of attention to transmural care.

In 2020 we signed an agreement called ‘Data Delen Midden NL’ (‘Data Sharing Midden NL’) with hospitals in Oncomid for the automated, secure and standardized sharing of patient information and imagery for joint oncological multidisciplinary consultation, by linking up electronic patient records (EPRs). Doctors now have real-time access to each other’s information and can provide optimal assistance to patients. Each year we discuss more than 6,000 patients in regional oncological multidisciplinary consultations. ‘Data Delen Midden NL’ is an innovative program by which a standard for the Netherlands is being elaborated in the Utrecht region. In 2021 we started using an app in Oncomid in which for each tumor type, all joint protocols and guidelines, clinical care paths, studies and contact details of colleagues in the region can be found. We also used grant money from the Citrien fund to invest in regionally targeted, innovative information for patients with melanoma or with gynecological tumors.

Health Hub Utrecht

UMC Utrecht together with the city of Utrecht acts as driver of the Health Hub. In 2021, Public Health researchers of the Julius Center of UMC Utrecht, together with partners in the Health Hub, drew up a regional overview to get detailed insight in pressure points regarding care and wellbeing. This regional overview consists of a quantitative view based on existing data and a qualitative interpretation of the data via interviews with inhabitants and professionals. Based on this, substantiated priorities are defined for the next, more intensive phase of cooperation within the three coalitions.

Transmural Coordination Center

In 2021 the Executive Council of UMC Utrecht ordered the establishment of a Transmural Coordination Center (TCC). The purpose of this inhouse center is to coordinate and optimize transmural cooperation between specialists at UMC Utrecht and general practitioners in the region. The TTC works on expanding network care for patients in the Utrecht region through support, innovation, stimulation and connecting of excellent transmural cooperation with first- and second-line care institutions. The center must for example contribute to better logistic cooperation (e.g. the punctuality and content of release reports), better transmural safety (e.g. drug transfer and discussion and prevention of transmural incidents), realization of transmural innovation within the regional care network (in 6 test gardens), and more efficient cooperation in research and education.