Featuring Carina Hilders (UMC Utrecht) as the opening guest and Lieke Schepers (Randstad Professionals) as the driving force behind the new trade show
Utrecht, April 8, 2024– This morning, Carina Hilders, Chair of the Board of Directors at UMC Utrecht, opened Zorg & ’25 at Jaarbeurs Royal Jaarbeurs. Under the theme “Fit for the Future,” more than 10,000 visitors and healthcare professionals are gathering at Jaarbeurs over the next few days to gain knowledge and inspiration at the Netherlands’ largest “health tech event.” Zorg & ’25 is the umbrella title for the brand-new trade show Zorg & HR and the leading trade show Zorg & ICT. Zorg & hr is a collaboration between Jaarbeurs and founding partner Randstad and focuses on the technical solutions for effectively addressing staffing challenges in the healthcare sector. Lieke Schepers, Managing Director of Randstad Professional: “At Randstad, we believe that progress happens when the right people and expertise come together. I am proud that, as a founding partner, we are contributing to Zorg & hr and thereby helping to make the healthcare sector future-proof.” Zorg & ’25 will take place through Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Koninklijke Jaarbeurs.
Future-Proof Healthcare
The festive opening of Zorg & ’25 was presided over by Carina Hilders, Chair of the Board of Directors at UMC Utrecht. Hilders then became the first speaker on the “tech mainstage” with a keynote address on future-proof healthcare: “The healthcare sector faces enormous challenges; by putting the human element at the center and embracing innovative technologies, we can improve the quality of care while simultaneously controlling costs. At the Zorg & ’25 trade show today, we’re seeing the future of healthcare, where technology and humanity go hand in hand to provide the best possible care.”
Prominent keynote speakers and executives
In addition to Hilders, prominent speakers and executives such as Marcel Levi (director of NWO), Bianca Buurman (chair of V&VN and professor of acute elderly care), Bianca Rouwenhorst (Director of Information Policy and CIO—Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport), Ruth Peetoom (Chair of the Dutch Mental Health Association) and Prof. Anne Marie Weggelaar (Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Transformation in Healthcare at TU/e), will share their knowledge and vision on current topics during Zorg & ’25.
Jeroen van Hooff, CEO of Koninklijke Jaarbeurs: “The substantive program of Zorg & ’25, featuring more than 250 knowledge sessions, underscores the crucial importance and necessity of this trade show. It is a unique opportunity for tens of thousands of healthcare professionals to discover the latest trends and developments that contribute to a future-proof healthcare sector. Together with our exhibitors and speakers, we are creating a platform where knowledge and innovation converge to shape the healthcare of tomorrow.”
First: “Zorg & HR” to Tackle Staffing Challenges in Healthcare
The staffing shortage in healthcare is severe. According to the Social and Economic Council (SER), one in seven workers is currently employed in healthcare; by 2040, that figure is estimated to rise to one in four. The challenge of meeting healthcare demand in 2040 is enormous, and far-reaching measures are inevitable. Lieke Schepers, Managing Director of Randstad Professional: “We believe that progress happens when the right people and expertise come together. In this way, we help our clients take steps forward in the rapidly changing world of healthcare. I am immensely proud that Randstad, as a founding partner, is contributing to the launch of Zorg & hr to establish that connection and to help ensure that healthcare remains accessible to everyone—now and in the future.”
National Healthcare Innovation Award Ceremony
On Wednesday, April 9, during Zorg & ICT, Zorginnovatie.nl will present the tenth edition of the National Healthcare Innovation Award—the premier award for the most innovative company in the scaling-up phase. Zorginnovatie.nl aims to accelerate technological innovations in healthcare and welfare. Companies that have already developed, tested, and launched their innovations often need a little extra help to truly make their business a success. The expert jury award and the people’s choice award will be announced by Prince Constantijn of Orange.
Zorg & ’25 will take place from Tuesday, April 8, through Thursday, April 10, at Jaarbeurs Koninklijke Jaarbeurs.
