Care&'24: Healthy, safe and hospitable

A healthcare market trends fair requires an open setting with a strong substantive program, good keynote speakers and full halls. As far as Zorg&'24 (April 9-11 in Jaarbeurs Utrecht) is concerned, it seems to have succeeded, with a clever mix of three linked, free-to-attend trade shows: Care & ict, Care & facility and Care & food. Common factor is the primary care process, be it data security, facility management or food concepts.

Clearly, the food market has discovered the healthcare sector. Catering is taking an increasing place, as well as healthy food in restaurants. Jumbo had a spacious booth at Care & food, as several inhabited institutions use its delivery subscriptions. After all, why spend time grocery shopping when the supermarket offers a solution?

Neuropsychologist Erik Scherder, fair opener on the Food Mainstage, finds common ground everywhere, and in the brain. Healthy brains make for vital employees and clients, the VU professor believes. And for a healthy brain, exercise and good nutrition are essential. Scherder did it Tuesday, April 9, 2024 in Jaarbeurs Utrecht in his familiar way: by activating the audience and an enlightening explanation of how the brain works. This produces substances that reduce stress, even if you only show the patient a 'fake smile' after a hard day's work.

Care caterer Huuskes packed out at Zorg & food with a busy booth, due to a daily cooking demo by TV chef Sandra Ysbrandy. A good concept alongside the more traditional stands at Zorg & facility, which over the years has come to occupy an increasingly smaller place as a sub-area of the former Zorgtotaal. And that while facility management is the umbrella for products and services outside the primary process. The new exhibition format is proof that market players and visitors are getting a bigger and bigger say. International flooring manufacturer Gerflor, known for its specialist healthcare flooring, says it has no problem with this: networking via a conventional booth still works, the crew says. But visitors want more, they want to taste and enjoy a little on a day like this. The separate Food fair, focused on experience, was a more than welcome addition.  

Trade fair Care & food focused on the future of healthy food. For example, TV chef Hugo Kennis gave his views on health and sustainability. "Avocados, soy and coconut are not the solution. We are all pretty messed up. It's really time we stopped dragging food all over the world. Just pick what's around, that's where the road to sustainable and healthy eating lies," said Kennis. Culinary entrepreneur Ron Blaauw also shared his views on nutrition in Dutch healthcare. According to him, eating healthy is not difficult. "Sustainability is necessary. That doesn't have to mean not eating meat at all. And losing weight? That's fine, but not by running after the next nutrition guru."

Jos Nijhof, director of Facilities Management at Groningen's Martini Hospital, believes facilities management can affect the primary process of recovery, but on the basis of well-being and wellness. "Rest, cleanliness and regularity are important when it comes to cleaning and hygiene. Healthy food takes an increasingly important place - as does conscious medication use, and you can strongly influence the healing environment with comfort, appearance and building management - think single rooms, greenery and climate control. We are investing in people-centered, value-driven care and there is a lot to be gained from that." Facility management adds value to the care process, Nijhof argues. "We are hosts of the hospital or hospice. Hospitality, the word itself says it all. Good facility management can also increase production and flexibility, as well as control costs and risks."

We walk, on Erik Scherder's advice, quite a bit through the exhibition halls after each session to activate our brains. There was no sign of shrinkage in visitor numbers; at 10 a.m. on the opening day, lines 50 meters long stood in front of the entrance. Jeroen van Hooff, CEO of Royal Jaarbeurs: "I am extremely proud of the massive turnout this morning during the opening. We look forward to working with over 350 exhibitors, 400 speakers and a packed program to inspire tens of thousands of healthcare professionals with the latest trends and developments that will make a valuable contribution to future-proof healthcare." Former top athlete Dafne Schippers also took the stage and gave insight into the impact of top athletics on her life, highlighting physical challenges and the importance of a healthy body and mental resilience.

In addition to the useful and enjoyable for the healthcare worker and visitor, the administrative side also came into its own. In particular, ict components of the healthcare system proved worthy of a separate exhibition hall. Ict has become so important to healthcare organizations that the strategy is being placed on the Supervisory Board, as at Bravis Hospitals - keynote on the Tech Mainstage. Ict has tentacles in every corner of healthcare delivery, from administration to collaboration with other organizations. Total control, however, is an illusion, said Chairman of the Board Albert-Jan Mante, who is quite willing to put on the penitence when it comes to cybersecurity. "Only when something happens do you realize that you are not as well secured as thought after all," he said of a data breach found at the hospital.  

Not crazy to then set up a Digitalization Committee from within the Supervisory Board (SB), especially since more and more is being added, such as AI. The committee guards the Bravis' "crown jewels" in the long term, so that continuity is not threatened. Pretty proactive for a relatively small hospital organization in Brabant. "'Are we in control?' is the question," says Chief Information Officer Michel Hofman, a member of the Supervisory Board. Of the for the medical world traditional-defensive attitude to incidents there seems to be no question at Bravis. "We keep good contact with the RvT, formally and informally," says Mante. "Trust is the basis." Another regional ransomware exercise, involving several Brabant hospitals and institutions, will follow in 2024. Then a mail attack will be simulated and the consequences examined. As for AI, Bravis is developing algorithm models to help doctors and nurses put patients in the right place. Modesty prevails, however. "We are a fast follower, not a frontrunner," he said.

The hall of Zorg & ict clearly had added value in terms of content compared to the other two, cozy "markets" with here and there a getaway to listen to a themed lecture or keynote, such as the one mentioned above. Zorg & ict amply proved that added value. In the plastic domes where the so-called case study theaters were set up, seats were in short supply. The three exhibition days had separate themes, such as "Digital Availability" on April 9, and a case study of Isala Hospitals, among others, could be enjoyed. Bianca Rouwenhorst, top official at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, gave her views on data availability. "Digital transformation in healthcare must. With the National Vision and Strategy on the Health Information System, we have a compass for using data and digitization to contribute to solving issues in healthcare. That's great, but if we really want to move the transformation forward, we also need to get started on implementation right away."

On Thursday, April 11, the dilemma of open system versus security was explored again, including a lecture on regional cooperation between healthcare organizations in ict issues. IC doctor Diederik Gommers (Erasmus MC) opened the day on the Tech Mainstage with a presentation on AI and Michel Hofman returned as director of transformation platform Digizo.nu. The Bravis director indicated earlier, that developing systems together is not an issue (yet), but sharing a "data protection officer," a position under the board at Bravis, could be a workable solution for digital collaboration between healthcare organizations.

In addition to cybersecurity, protection of patient data is an important issue. The latter, of course, is bound by laws and regulations. For this reason, the Ministry of VWS had set up a booth at Zorg & ict, with implementing partners. There is an Electronic Data Exchange in Health Care Act (Wegiz) that provides a framework to mandate electronic exchange according to specific conditions. Per data exchange, NEN standards are referenced and healthcare providers must use certified products or services. The Wegiz is a quality framework for digitization; medical data remain protected. Exchange of a patient record is only allowed with prior patient consent. Regional exchange may also require consent. This stems from the Medical Treatment Agreement Act (WGBO) and the AVG (privacy legislation). Only healthcare providers who actually treat the patient may view the data.

The development of the award-winning new Tergooi MC in Hilversum is entirely focused on a state-of-the-art regional hospital where patients and employees can function optimally. Chemotherapy treatment and staff restaurant with outdoor areas in green surroundings are among the distinguishing elements. Director of Construction and Housing Stephan Versteege focused on Thursday, April 11, on the mainstage of Care & facility mainly on a down-to-earth and practical story, under the motto "Facts and fables of making hospital real estate more sustainable. Versteege, previously project director for the transformation of Erasmus MC, is well up to the task. The new Tergooi MC has almost thirty percent fewer square meters. "So you have to build back less," he says. One advantage to a "green" hospital is, of course, its wooded surroundings. "But every tree felled has also come back." A gasless hospital proved financially unfeasible when construction costs rose in addition to energy prices, but an A+ label did.

The beauty of the content program, is that a commercial fair with free registration does not appear to be an obstacle to sharing critical pain points between actors in the sector. This can also be expected of a concept that is part of the Dutch Health Week (activities around sports and nutrition in Utrecht) and has a future. The new exhibition format seems a good prelude: a healthcare market that is opening up to the outside world, focusing more and more on health and prevention. "There was plenty of knowledge sharing and suppliers showed relevant innovations that contribute to efficient and future-proof care," said fair manager Audrey Wilschut afterwards. The primary process remains central; health, safety and hospitality deserve everyone's attention. The next edition is already planned for April 7 to 9, 2026.