Blog: In addition to praise, care heroes deserve ongoing technological support

The corona crisis is putting enormous strain on the international health care system. In the Netherlands, too, we see that healthcare is reaching its limits. The pressure on the ICs is enormous, and all over the healthcare sector professionals must do their utmost to continue to provide the best possible care.

They deserve nothing but praise. But also ongoing technological support.

The corona crisis shows how closely care and technology are intertwined. Ventilation equipment, sterilization options for protective materials, technology for facilitating remote care (e-Health): all of these prove to be crucial factors to ward off the corona crisis and to provide the necessary regular care. We can, or rather: should not leave the heroes of health care alone and are obliged as a society to support them as much as possible.

Fortunately that is exactly what happens. It is encouraging to see that technological innovations are accelerating their way to healthcare not only in the delta region, but throughout the Netherlands and beyond. Thanks to the government, helping by simplifying guidelines so that faster implementations are possible. But especially thanks to the scientists, engineers, doctors, care organizations and companies who know how to find each other and come up with suitable solutions for acute problems. The collaboration between technology and clinic is gaining momentum, thanks to them.

Scientific research proves once again its value in this respect: it forms the basis of the technological healthcare innovations that are now emerging. But the road to a structural solution - a drug or vaccine - also leads to academic research. Let’s hope that the current appreciation is permanent.

Not only the acute care problems are being solved. Because although the coronavirus will hopefully disappear within the foreseeable future, the collaboration between engineers and clinicians will continue. This collaboration, that Medical Delta set up years ago, now proves its worth. And will continue to do so.

The researchers, institutions and other stakeholders at Medical Delta remain committed. Interdisciplinary, from a scientific basis, solution-oriented, embedded in healthcare practice. Because only then will technology help healthcare.

The care heroes of today deserve it for later.

Prof. Ton van der Steen and Gertine van der Vliet, Medical Delta Board