28 May.
From 14 to 16 May, the ICT&health World Conference took place at the MECC in Maastricht. Several colleagues from CODE24 attended on Thursday the 16th and together with 5 other fine companies we presented a session on openEHR - we are happy to share our experience!
Inspiration
Before our session, there was plenty of time to leisurely stroll around the exhibition floor and attend some sessions. Talking to the various exhibitors, we heard about several interesting innovations. The sentiment of the event's tagline, ‘The future of healthcare starts here’, could be felt around the venue. What particularly stuck with us was a nice conversation with an eNurse from Zuyderland. She explained how, after years of working at patients' beds, she experienced this new role. Even without the physical aspect, she very much feels like a nurse. Wonderful.
Our Business Process Analyst Jorn and Innovation Manager Alessandro joined a workshop of Innovatielab Zuyderland: ‘Design the future of healthcare’. Here, groups of attendees made prototypes for new healthcare innovations - this is, of course, right up their alley and that of their two teammates as well, because they went home with a nice gift bag. Innovatielab Zuyderland posted some nice photos of the workshop on LinkedIn.
The session entitled ‘AI in healthcare, how do you do it?’ provided by Niels van Gorp (Digizo.nu) and Tjerk Heijmens Visser (CZ) also deserves a mention. Because why is AI in healthcare, despite its tremendous potential, having trouble taking off? What challenges need to be tackled and what steps are being taken? Here lies an important role for data availability and unity of language as well. Crap in = crap out, after all.... A nice segue to our own session.
OpenEHR from different perspectives
Together with vitagroup, USoft, Maarsingh en van Steijn, EY and the Masterclass openEHR (eFORZE), we presented various perspectives on the potential of openEHR, under the title: ‘Masterclass openEHR: the added value of a vendor neutral open data platform’. The room quickly filled up at 13:30 and we were able to start with an introduction by Jan Weterings of the Masterclass openEHR.
The power of openEHR was then highlighted from different perspectives:
- Stefan Schraps shared vitagroup's vision on software development in healthcare. He explained how it has mostly been done so far and how vitagroup centers qualitative data for better care by using openEHR. Data is for life!
- Our architect Sebastian Iancu then talked about CODE24's journey with openEHR. Since our very beginning, we have been convinced of the need for true data availability and openEHR provides us with the means to make it happen.
- Next up was Hans Canisius of USoft. USoft is an expert in Low-Code software development. Hans explained very clearly what this entailed and how powerful Low-Code can be in combination with openEHR.
- Bouwe Koopal of Maarsingh en van Steijn talked about the SICHT DATA project and how it came about. A great practical case, focusing on the combination of openEHR and Low-Code.
- Erik Vermeulen from EY closed the session. He shared how the deployment of openEHR is growing within Europe - and certainly also within the Netherlands. He cited the promising example of Catalonia, where they have set up a clinical data platform based on openEHR.
Afterwards, participants had the opportunity to ask the presenter any questions they might have. After several questions were answered (How can you get started with openEHR? How much High Code does it take to create Low Code?) several participants stayed in the room to discuss the matter further. Nice to see how the topic came alive.
Again next year?
As far as we are concerned, this day was definitely worth repeating! It is good to see how the awareness around healthcare data and its standardisation/modelling is starting to grow. In addition, it is also interesting that openEHR is still relatively unknown in many circles.
There is an important task there for organisations like ours and for the fine companies with which we have now presented this session - we have the knowledge and we are happy to share it. Perhaps at the ICT&health World Conference again next year?