Research Research themes Healthcare improvement science

Healthcare improvement science

This theme focuses on the structure, processes, and outcomes of healthcare in daily practice, aiming at improving its performance and delivery from the perspective of the patient. read more

Healthcare improvement science

This theme focuses on the structure, processes, and outcomes of healthcare in daily practice, aiming at improving its performance and delivery from the perspective of the patient. Researchers study existing and new interventions at the micro and macro level. Our aim is to explore which healthcare interventions or structures work in what circumstances and for whom. The value for the patient is paramount.

Whereas most research themes are disease-oriented, the theme Healthcare improvement science (HcIS) also focuses on specialized questions addressing general healthcare outcome and delivery. Hence this theme surpasses the traditional boundaries of disease-oriented themes. Central aim is to better understand how person-centered evidence-based medicine and healthcare delivery in the complex context of daily practice are linked.
 

Objectives

  • To position this theme in the research chain from molecule to man to population, between man and population, and aim at contributing to excellent delivery of care, that is both effective and efficient.
  • To identify facilitators and barriers influencing the implementation of improvements in patient care throughout any transmural care chain and to unravel the complex dynamics that produce variations in healthcare processes and outcomes.
  • To develop methodology and tools for personalized healthcare, by examining, for example, the development of resilience and recovery indicators, patient-oriented outcome measures (PROMs), patient-oriented record keeping and communication, the impact of the (personal) context and complexity on the manifestation and outcomes of health problems.
  • To develop research methods tailored to answering complex questions in healthcare improvement science, such as the early and rapid evaluation of new medical technology, the impact of multi-morbidity, network analysis and complexity science, the proper use of big data, and patient participation in healthcare and research.

Theme leader

Gert Westert
full professor

+31 (0)24 309 74 49
contact form

Lines of research


Generic mechanisms in healthcare

Focusing on effective and efficient healthcare delivery to complex patients in complex contexts. read more

Generic mechanisms in healthcare

Generic mechanisms in healthcare, focusing on effective and efficient healthcare delivery to complex patients in complex contexts.
  • Generic aspects of disease-oriented care networks.
  • Resilience and complexity science.
  • Pain as a multidimensional phenomenon.
  • Treating multi-morbidity.
  • Integrative holistic healthcare and personalized healthcare.

Patient-centeredness

Focusing on how person-centeredness can and needs to be applied in medicine and daily healthcare practice, and to tailor effectiveness research to the needs of the patient. read more

Patient-centeredness

Patient-centeredness, focusing on how person-centeredness can and needs to be applied in medicine and daily healthcare practice, and to tailor effectiveness research to the needs of the patient.
  • Person-centeredness in healthcare.
  • Patient-oriented outcome measures (PROMs).
  • Self-management and the patient as an active participant.

Improving value of care delivery

Researching how to improve the delivery of healthcare and increase value for patients. read more

Improving value of care delivery

Improving value of care delivery, researching how to improve the delivery of healthcare and increase value for patients.
  • Improving (proactive) palliative care.
  • Healthcare delivery and diversity.
  • Value-driven medicine and outcomes.
  • New professional roles and teamwork development.
  • Safe medication.

Novel research methods and approaches

Emphasizing the development of new research methods, needed for research analysis of complex problems and contexts. read more

Novel research methods and approaches

Novel research methods and approaches, emphasizing the development of new research methods, needed for research analysis of complex problems and contexts.
  • Early and rapid evaluation of new medical technology.
  • Big data, machine learning, and text mining techniques.
  • New evaluative methodologies in complex contexts.
  • Efficiency and sustainability of healthcare.
  • Practice variation and low-value care methodology; how to measure it and how to change it.
  • Patient safety in hospitals, using less indicators and more patient measures.
  • Measurement of nursing sensitive outcomes and effectiveness.
  • Measuring the impact of prevention in healthcare, and in the hospital setting.
  • Evaluative methods of organizational innovation of GP care.

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