In North Holland North, Omring is actively working on digital solutions to the big issues in healthcare. This is only possible with regional cooperation, Jolanda Buwalda told us during her keynote at Zorg & ict.
A complete IT blackout several years ago prompted healthcare organization Omring to get cracking on setting up a robust IT and data infrastructure. "Coming from spaghetti automation, we now want to be fully digi-oriented," Jolanda Buwalda, chairman of Omring's board of directors told her keynote during Zorg & ict.
"Therefore, starting in 2019, we started building a digital and data-driven organization." A key driver of this is what Buwalda called the "zozozo policy": "As digi, as self, as near and as informal as possible."
Also read: Tomorrow's healthcare professional: collaborating with AI
Regional cooperation as key
Regional cooperation is an important key, Buwalda told us. Only by doing so can we meet the well-known challenges coming to healthcare. "We have to organize healthcare differently. Not only working smarter and better, but we have to make the work more fun."
A region architecture has been established to enable data availability. RSO Zorgring facilitates secure access to data for North Holland North so that health data are digitally accessible, exchangeable and usable for healthcare providers, clients and other stakeholders.
Better prevention thanks to data analysis
This also enables better data analysis. That supports better prevention and early interventions. Buwalda gave as an example the "indication advisor": a smart AI advisor that combines data from healthcare records with narrative reporting, and analyzes it.
The AI assistant proactively signals healthcare professionals when a client is likely to need a more intensive care indication. Using AI, Omring can identify potential viral outbreaks based on narrative reporting. "The better we have predictability in place, the more targeted care we can provide," he said.
Also read: Jeroen de Haas on AI in healthcare: 'If it has to be done, it can be done'
From fragmented data to a personal briefing
Omring is also deploying such an AI assistant to support their healthcare professionals. In the '360-degree client view'. Information about clients is often fragmented across different systems, leading to inefficiency, wasted time and the risk that critical signals are missed.
Smart AI assistant turns all fragmented data into a personalized briefing. Even before the healthcare professional arrives at the client's home, they are fully updated in seconds on the latest developments, needs and well-being of the client.
The Netherlands' first empathetic AI agent
By the way, Omring was there early on with AI. During corona, Omring introduced Wendy, the "empathetic AI agent," the first in the Netherlands. A great success, not only externally, but also internally. "It increased the digi-apetite in our organization. Wendy was seen as a new colleague."
Step by step, digitalization was thus expanded. In 2024, Omring formulated the second long-term vision, in which sensor technology and care home automation were given a larger place. Starting in 2025, the AI team got to work.
Also read: AI in healthcare: an opportunity for everyone, but not by itself
Qualitative and financial returns
And what does it all add up to? "We look at the qualitative aspects, such as better and earlier indications, as well as financial aspects," Buwalda showed using the 'benefit monitor.' She presented an overview of the expected benefit of various projects. The viral infection monitor results in administrative time savings of 1,800 hours and significantly lower absenteeism.
The 360-degree client view project means a halving of preparation time, or a return of 13,000 hours. "We are doing well," Buwalda concluded. "Clearly, this is already starting to fly nicely in practice."
