Sylvia van der Burg-Vermeulen has been appointed professor of Work-focused Networked Care at Radboud university medical center / Radboud University. In her new role, she will focus on advancing work-focused healthcare, an approach that recognizes the close relationship between work and health. Her goal is to help health professionals identify work-related health issues at an earlier stage and better support people in remaining in work or returning to work.
For many people, work is about more than earning a living. It provides structure, fosters social connections, and contributes to a sense of purpose. However, when health problems arise, a person’s ability to work can be affected. Effective support can make a significant difference, whether by helping someone remain in work, return after a period of absence, or continue to participate in society in other meaningful ways.
According to Van der Burg-Vermeulen, clinicians and other care providers have a key role to play. ‘Work and social participation have a profound impact on people’s quality of life. Everyone involved in patient care, from general practitioners to medical specialists, should therefore address these issues as an integral part of care from the very start of a treatment trajectory.
Integrating occupational health into education
To achieve this, Van der Burg-Vermeulen aims to strengthen the role of work-focused healthcare in education and continuing professional development. This includes medical education, allied health programs, and postgraduate medical training. ‘All health professionals should understand what work-focused healthcare entails, why it matters, and when to involve specialist expertise.’
Collaboration
Van der Burg-Vermeulen also plans to strengthen collaboration across the different professions involved in patient care. People with health problems often receive care and support from multiple professionals working across clinical care, occupational health services and social insurance, including general practitioners, medical specialists, allied health professionals, nurses, occupational physicians, and insurance physicians. For this reason, it is essential that professionals work across disciplinary boundaries and coordinate their efforts effectively. ‘High-quality support at the intersection of work and health depends on strong collaboration between different disciplines. These collaborative skills should therefore receive greater attention in the education and training of healthcare professionals.’
Researching effective approaches
Alongside her educational activities, Van der Burg-Vermeulen will conduct research into the effects of work-focused healthcare. Her research will focus on questions such as what is needed to develop and implement work-focused healthcare effectively and how its quality and outcomes can be evaluated. The insights gained from this research will be directly applied to both healthcare practice and education, helping to translate new knowledge into better patient care and practical guidance for healthcare professionals.
Career
Sylvia van der Burg-Vermeulen studied Medicine at Utrecht University. After qualifying as an insurance physician, she joined the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). In 2012, she completed her PhD at the Research Center for Insurance Medicine. Since then, she has held a range of leadership and academic positions within the field of occupational healthcare. These include director of the Dutch Association of Insurance Medicine (NVVG), program director for Insurance Medicine at NSPOH, endowed professor of Social Insurance Medicine at Amsterdam UMC / University of Amsterdam, and member of the board of the Royal Dutch Medical Association (RDMA).
The appointment as professor-leader in education is effective from September 1, 2026, for a period of five years. In addition to her professorship, she will continue to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Dutch Journal of Occupational and Insurance Medicine. She also intends to explore opportunities to specialize as a clinical occupational physician at Radboudumc.
The chair has been established with substantive and financial support from the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine (NVAB) and the Gelderland Midden-Zuid district office of UWV.
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