From faster diagnosis to fewer hospital admissions: three years of Reggeborgh Research Fellowship
Over the past three years, research projects that began with questions raised in the consulting room have led to tangible improvements in healthcare. As part of the Reggeborgh Research Fellowship, four medical technologists from ZGT and MST investigated, amongst other things, how patients can receive a clearer diagnosis of epilepsy more quickly, how children with asthma can be better supported at home, and how care can be better tailored to older people following a hip fracture and to women with pelvic floor problems.
On 16 September, during the celebratory closing event at the Parkgebouw in Rijssen, the four Research Fellows presented their research findings and discussed what the Fellowship has meant for their personal and professional development. The first cohort of Reggeborgh Research Fellows consists of Dieuwke van Dartel and Jaimy Simmering from ZGT (Ziekenhuisgroep Twente) and Emilie Kroeze-Klaver and Mattiènne van der Kamp from MST (Medisch Spectrum Twente).
From research to better care
Dieuwke van Dartel (ZGT) investigated how technology can help to better predict and improve the recovery of older people following a hip fracture.
Older people with greater handgrip strength and those who exercise more during their recovery show better outcomes. With these new insights, care can be better and more effectively tailored to the individual older person.
Jaimy Simmering (ZGT) investigated pelvic floor symptoms using new imaging techniques, including a standing MRI scan. Pelvic floor symptoms can have a major impact on daily life due to involuntary loss of urine and faeces, although this is rarely discussed. Her research shows that damage to the pelvic floor muscles plays a significant role in the recurrence of prolapse following surgery. Furthermore, the function of the pelvic floor muscles influences the effectiveness of treatments for involuntary urine leakage.
Emilie Kroeze-Klaver (MST) investigated how epilepsy can be diagnosed more quickly using a 24-hour electroencephalogram (EEG), supported by AI. The time taken to reach a clear diagnosis fell from a maximum of 48 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Fewer additional tests and hospital admissions were also required, leading to a reduction in healthcare costs.
Mattiènne van der Kamp (MST) developed and investigated digital tools that enable children with asthma to receive earlier and better support at home.
The approach led to a 20 per cent improvement in inhalation technique, greater patient autonomy and a 50 per cent reduction in hospital admissions, and is now being rolled out in several Dutch hospitals. Using data from nearly 200 children, Van der Kamp also investigated how AI can predict a deterioration earlier and make care more personalised.
Scope for research and development
Reggeborgh Research Fellowship is a joint initiative of Reggeborgh Foundation, ZGT and MST. The programme gives talented healthcare professionals three years’ time and scope for applied research as well as personal and professional development. Alongside their development in science and healthcare, the Research Fellows follow a personal development programme organised by Reggeborgh Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship, leadership and communication.
They are also introduced to the Foundation’s network. For example, Olympic gymnastics champion Sanne Wevers gave the Fellows a masterclass entitled ‘From World Championship silver to Olympic gold’, which centred on themes such as ambition, strategy, mental strength and the importance of the right partners. In this way, the Research Fellows gain insights from outside the healthcare sector that help them to develop further as researchers and drivers of innovation. At the same time, the programme contributes to developing and retaining research talent in Twente.
Reggeborgh Research Fellowship is growing
The first cohort has completed the programme, but the Fellowship continues. The second cohort of Research Fellows is now one year into the programme. They are working on a wide range of issues that directly affect day-to-day healthcare. For example, research is being conducted into the treatment and causes of sleep apnoea, innovative imaging techniques to visualise blood flow in the skin, the use of 3D technology to enable more precise surgery for complex foot deformities, and the potential of home photography and digital healthcare for people with chronic skin conditions.
Third cohort in 2027
During the event, the welcome news was announced that a third cohort of Reggeborgh Research Fellowship will commence next year.
Over the coming months, the four new research programmes for this will be selected. Recruitment of candidates will then begin in the spring of 2027. This will once again give four talented healthcare professionals the opportunity to devote three years to research and entrepreneurship, thereby contributing to the future of healthcare in Twente.