Innovation4Health (I4H) Academy

There is a growing demand for technological solutions in healthcare. Currently, students and professionals are often trained in either technology or health and social care. Furthermore, around eighty percent of all healthcare innovations end up gathering dust or are not used as intended. This can be due to various reasons—for instance, the user may not fully understand how the innovation works, or it may not fit well into existing workflows. Consequently, there is a need for greater and more efficient collaboration to meet this demand.

Innovation4Health (I4H) Academy

The Innovation4Health Academy was established to meet this demand. It is a partnership between Basalt Rehabilitation and The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The I4H Academy develops educational programs at the intersection of healthcare and technology. It distinguishes itself from existing offerings by the speed at which concrete, practice-oriented products or services are developed.

Objective

The objective of this partnership between Basalt Rehabilitation and The Hague University of Applied Sciences is to develop training on the development, implementation, and evaluation of technological solutions within healthcare.

Target audience

The target audience for the training program currently under development consists of students in higher professional education (HBO) and technical fields, as well as professionals in the healthcare or social sectors who are interested in the integration of care.

Approach

Several modules have already been developed within the I4H Academy. These modules focus on gaining a deep understanding of the (social) context of technological solutions, defining their added value, and preparing for the launch of the product or process.

Products

The I4H Academy’s offerings aim to strengthen collaboration between healthcare and technology. The modules align with the CeHReS Roadmap (Centre for eHealth Research). The focus is on the human and practical aspects of technological solutions.

The current offering consists of the following products:

• The 'Research and Design for Health 1 and 2' (OOG1 and OOG2) minors at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, comprising three modules: context definition, value propositions, and stakeholder management.
• An in-house 'Implementation' training course for rehabilitation professionals.
• A 'Clinical Reasoning' toolkit for medical professionals.

Duration

The project runned from 2018 through 2025.

Team

• Ester de Jonge
• Monique Berger
• Hanneke Braakhuis
• Jorit Meesters

Collaboration

For this project, the research groups Rehabilitation and Technology and Assistive Technology for Mobility and Sports are collaborating with Basalt Rehabilitation.

Funding

The project is made possible by Kansen voor West 2.

Contact

Ester de Jonge ([email protected])