Author Archives: Toon van der Werf

About Toon van der Werf

Toon van der Werf is a consultant working for Capgemini, working as innovation manager in healthcare in the Netherlands with a background in management of IT services and business development since 1996. Toon has a special interest in improving healthcare processes through Health Information Exchanges, related privacy issues and e-Health solutions.

Healthcare more patient centric – easier said than done

Every year we observe an increase in patients asking for more influence on their own health care treatment plans. More and more patients can articulate their wishes and needs with respect to the health care they receive and they are increasingly able to take charge of their own healthcare process, of their own wellbeing. To take charge of your own healthcare, you should have access to your own healthcare information. Not only the GP or hospital …

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| Posted on by Toon van der Werf in Thoughts & Reports, Transforming Healthcare, Unlocking Information | Leave a comment

The common trap: Technology for its own sake

  In my last post I discussed the critical success factors for healthcare provider collaboration to improve the quality of care, while at the same time cut the costs of healthcare. Recently Nicol Nijland, a researcher of the University of Twente in the Netherlands, obtained her doctorate on the subject of success factors for eHealth initiatives (for any Dutch readers, the press release is here). She identifies other factors which influence patients’ willingness and ability …

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| Posted on by Toon van der Werf in Applying Technology | Leave a comment

Cutting costs, saving lives… through IT?

  Let me offer an example of how a simple idea could make a massive difference. Suppose Harry has a pain in his chest, and visits his General Practitioner (GP), who requests some blood tests and an X-Ray. When the GP receives the results, he prescribes some medication and refers Harry to a cardiologist. The cardiologist can’t see the results of the GP’s tests, so orders more tests and an X-Ray, and prescribes a second …

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| Posted on by Toon van der Werf in Unlocking Information Tagged | | 2 Comments