Tuesday, August 26, 2025
At Medical Delta, we believe that bringing together innovation, scientific knowledge, and practical expertise is essential for future-proof healthcare. Everything starts with asking the right questions to the right people. Where do the needs and requirements lie?
We see ‘question articulation’ as the process of identifying and translating the care needs and practical questions of end users (such as patients, informal caregivers, nurses, doctors, and policymakers) into targeted innovation challenges and research questions. After all, innovation only truly adds value when it aligns with practice.
Within Medical Delta, great examples have emerged where question articulation has facilitated the innovation process. In this article, we highlight a few from the Medical Delta programs MIMIC and Assistive technology at home, as well as the Delta Action Agenda.
MIMIC – From medical idea to clinic, with input from practice
The Medical Delta program ‘Medical Instruments Manufacturing: from Idea to Clinic (MIMIC)’ aims to accelerate the innovation process of advanced medical instruments for minimally invasive interventions and to increase their chances of success.
Question articulation is a key step for the success of this program: clinicians, innovators, manufacturing companies, researchers, education professionals, and other stakeholders are involved from the very beginning to clearly define practical problems. Through several steps, the consortium worked towards a concrete plan.
First, the core team engaged in conversations with relevant stakeholders. In these one-on-one meetings, they examined where the bottlenecks in the innovation process lie, which parties are involved, what is needed, and how the program can respond to this.
This information was then compiled and further explored in a joint workshop. Next, the core team set to work on drafting a concrete plan for shaping the MIMIC program. This plan was presented to the consortium and refined during the second workshop.
The core team is now moving forward with all the collected input and the implementation of the developed plan. “The importance of innovations in clinical medtech is widely recognized, but so are the challenges,” says Dr. Ir. Marcel Tichem, one of the Scientific Leaders of the program, about the process so far. “That is precisely why a bottom-up approach, with the involvement of a broad stakeholder community, is so important.
Rollator Check connects students with older adults
In May, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and network partner SOL organized a ‘rollator check-up day’ for neighborhood residents at the Huis van de Wijk IJsselmonde. In addition to providing information about the use of the rollator, the conversations also yielded other valuable insights for the Medical Delta Living Lab ‘Assistive technology at home.’
“The event answered many questions and raised new ones. It has therefore proven to be a wonderful starting point for the living lab,” says Dr. Lottie Kuijt-Evers (Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences), one of the program leaders at Medical Delta Living Lab ‘Supportive Technology for Home.’
For example, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is working with the digital community ‘Scouters’ and the minor in Healthcare Technology on a decision aid for rollators. In addition, concrete requests have been received for similar ‘rollator check-up’ events at other locations in Rotterdam. The pilot that started in Rotterdam is now being more widely supported by the program consortium. Similar events are planned with partners in Leiden and The Hague, where the research will continue.
“The rollator event shows how, with relatively simple means, students, professionals, and residents can be brought together. In addition to valuable knowledge sharing, connections were also made. It is therefore an example of transdisciplinary collaboration in practice, with visible impact on the community, and an example of demand-driven research and innovation.”
A more extensive article about this event previously appeared on the Medical Delta news page
Delta Action Agenda – Strategic guidance through practical questions
Medical Delta plays a connecting role in the South Holland innovation and health ecosystem. The Social Council of Medical Delta reviews our policy for social relevance and developments, and provides input—both solicited and unsolicited.
This Council observed that, in terms of health, the residents of South Holland rank at the bottom of national lists. This is despite the many healthcare organizations and knowledge institutions in the region. The great fragmentation of initiatives and collaborative organizations does not contribute to effective health improvement. This societal challenge became the reason to take action and bring parties together.
o gain a clear picture of the situation, we spoke with directors of various societal stakeholders, while researchers, developers, and healthcare workers were also able to provide input. In addition to question articulation (where does the greatest urgency lie within one’s own organization and field), commitment was also important (what can you contribute, what are you/your organization going to do). By engaging in dialogue with a wide range of parties, we mapped out what is needed—and especially why, and from which perspective.
The result of this approach is a content-rich agenda and a strong network that identifies with the challenges as well as the chosen direction. The Delta Action Agenda is therefore not a paper plan, but a shared implementation framework that aligns with the vision of the Province of South Holland, the missions of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), the IZA, AZWA, and programs such as Healthy Society—and it continues to evolve.
In November of this year, the first outcomes will be presented at the Festival Gezond Verstand (click here for more information).
Another great example?
Do you also have a great example that you would like to share with the rest of the Medical Delta community? Let us know via this page.
