Foreword of the Executive Board
"Together, we remain on track towards the healthcare of tomorrow."
Together, we improve human health and create the healthcare of tomorrow. Together, we create more value, because every human being counts. This is what we as UMC Utrecht stand for. The world around us continues to change at a rapid pace. In 2023 we therefore set a new drive in motion to ensure that in all tasks that lie before us, we remain on track, towards the healthcare of tomorrow. With agility and flexibility, to turn challenges and opportunities into added value and impact for society. Now and in the future.
An attractive, innovative region
Motivated by the tasks from the Integral Healthcare Agreement (IZA), in 2023 for instance, we intensified collaborations in our region and continued to expand them. Not only with other hospitals, but also with many other stakeholders such as general practitioners, nursing and care homes, home-care professionals, and the community. And with educational and knowledge institutions. Together, in 2023, we also drew up a regional overview (‘Regiobeeld’) and plan . This is an achievement and an important basis on which we can collectively and through partnerships organize a coherent regional care network with a strong educational and research structure. All the stakeholders are enthusiastic and intensely involved.
“In 2024, we shall continue to work together on an attractive, innovative region where we provide the right care in the right place, focus on prevention, and reduce health disparities."
Continue to invest in the future
In addition, together with many of our colleagues, partners, and patients, we are setting up our strategic program,the Healthcare of Tomorrow . This enables us to continue investing in the future and to innovate in healthcare, research, education, and valorization, by optimizing our support processes and improving our efficiency. We can thus continue to invest in digitalization to turn the opportunities that it offers, into valuable solutions for colleagues and patients. And in the renovation and construction of our buildings to make them optimally suited to the (future) needs of all users. We also continue to invest in sustainability in order to fulfill the agreements in the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 and contribute to sustainable development goals (SDGs) .
A sustainable healthcare sector and healthy society’
In our healthcare , our research , and our education , patients are central. This is why we collaborate with patients in a structural way. The questionnaire ‘We’d like to get to know you’ for example helps us to offer even more suitable, personalized care.
We also once again undertook worthwhile sustainability initiatives in 2023. Planetary Health and sustainability are thus becoming an increasingly integral part of our healthcare, our research, and our education. We are also continuing to make our operational management more sustainable . This has resulted in a decrease in our CO2 footprint , less waste , and less wasting of food and drugs . These are important steps whereby we continue together on the road towards a sustainable healthcare sector and a healthy society.
Patients are central
In our healthcare , our research , and our education , patients are central. This is why we collaborate with patients in a structural way. The questionnaire ‘We’d like to get to know you’ for example helps us to offer even more suitable, personalized care.
In 2023 for the first time we also had medical students with a chronic disease – ‘medical dual talents’ – give guest lectures in our bachelor program in Medicine. The fact that our patients appreciate our care was again evident from the score that they gave us: an average of 8.7. This of course makes us happy and proud.
Appreciation from colleagues and students
We are also glad about the appreciation of our colleagues and students . We set high standards for ourselves. It is therefore wonderful to see that a large number of students are (very) satisfied with our education and that the percentage continues to rise. What is more, in 2023 both our bachelor program in Medicine and in Biomedical Sciences (again) received the ‘Topopleiding’ label from the Keuzegids Universiteiten guide for choosing a university program. This is great news. At the same time, we are striving to improve even further. Which is also why we started in 2023 with the movement ‘This is Us’ to create a more socially safe, open, inclusive, and stimulating work and learning environment. This has started a worthwhile movement and led to valuable dialog in our organization. We are therefore continuing with it in 2024.
Steps regarding healthcare, education, research, and valorization
Together with our colleagues, patients, students, and partners, we achieved good results in 2023 in our four core tasks namely healthcare, education, research, and valorization.
In the field of healthcare we have for instance provided a new home-monitoring application for all patients with a ventricular assist device. This is one of the reasons why home-monitoring further increased in 2023. In education we see that The New Utrecht School continues to develop and that we are introducing valuable educational innovations. We are for example using Virtual Reality as a complement to skill and practical training and preparing students more effectively before they enter the field.
We also have great appreciation for our researchers and the unique research at UMC Utrecht. In 2023 for instance it was discovered that babies, pregnant women, and older people can be vaccinated against the RS virus . It is a genuine turning point in the fight against this dangerous virus. And, if we look at valorization, we received a great contribution from Health~Holland . We are using this for instance to support five AI labs where we make use of AI and data science to develop answers to social issues.
Ready for the future
Looking back, we can conclude that we achieved good results in 2023 of which we can be proud. We also continued to invest to ensure that we will be and remain an agile, sustainable, and financially sound organization in the future. An organization that puts people at the center. Where we can continue in the coming years to work with drive and confidence to create the healthcare of tomorrow. And create more value, because every person counts. Now and in the future.
Executive board of UMC Utrecht,
Margriet Schneider
Arno Hoes
Josefien Kursten
Remco van Lunteren
