Utrecht, 8 April 2024 – This morning, it opened Carina Hilders, chairman of the board UMC Utrecht, Care & '25 in Koninklijke Jaarbeurs. Under the theme ‘Fit for the future’, more than ten thousand 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 ‘Zorg & HR’ trade fair and the leading ‘Zorg & ICT’ trade fair. Zorg & hr is a collaboration between Jaarbeurs and founding partner Randstad, and focuses on the technical solutions for effectively tackling staffing challenges in the healthcare sector. Lieke Schepers, Managing Director of Randstad Professional: “At Randstad, we believe that progress is made when the right people and expertise come together. I am proud that, as a founding partner, we are contributing to Zorg & hr, thereby helping to make the healthcare sector future-proof.” Zorg & ’25 will take place until Thursday 10 April 2025 at Jaarbeurs Koninklijke Jaarbeurs.
Future-proof care
The festive opening of Zorg & ’25 was conducted by Carina Hilders, Chair of the Executive Board of UMC Utrecht. Hilders then became the first speaker on the ‘tech mainstage’ with a keynote address on future-proof care: “The healthcare sector faces enormous challenges; by putting the human element at the heart of our approach and embracing innovative technologies, we can improve the quality of care whilst keeping costs under control. At the Zorg & ’25 trade fair today, we are seeing the future of healthcare, where technology and humanity go hand in hand to provide the best possible care.”
Leading keynote speakers and executives
Alongside Hilders, leading speakers and executivessuch as Marcel Levi (Director of NWO), Bianca Buurman (Chair of V&VN and Professor of Acute Care for the Elderly), Bianca Rouwenhorst (Director of Information Policy and CIO – Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport), Ruth Peetoom (Chair of the Dutch Mental Health Care Association) and Prof. Dr Anne Marie Weggelaar (Professor by Special Appointment 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 Jaarbeurs Royal Jaarbeurs: “The programme of Zorg & ’25, featuring more than 250 knowledge sessions, underlines the crucial importance and necessity of this trade fair. 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 come together to shape the healthcare of tomorrow.”
First: ‘Zorg & HR’ to tackle staffing challenges in the care sector
There is a severe staff shortage in the healthcare sector. According to the Social and Economic Council (SER), one in seven workers is currently employed in healthcare; by 2040, this figure is estimated to rise to one in four. The challenge of meeting the demand for care in 2040 is enormous, and far-reaching measures are inevitable. Lieke Schepers, Managing Director of Randstad Professional: “We believe that progress is made when the right people and expertise come together. In this way, we help our clients to make headway in the rapidly changing world of healthcare. I am immensely proud that, as a founding partner, Randstad is contributing to the launch of Zorg & hr, thereby forging that connection and helping to ensure that healthcare remains accessible to everyone – now and in the future.”
Lieke Schepers and Jeroen van Hooff. Photo: Michiel Ton
National Healthcare Innovation Award Ceremony
On Wednesday 9 April, 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 innovation often need a helping hand to make their business a real success. The expert jury prize and the public prize will be announced by Prince Constantijn of Orange.
Zorg & ’25 will take place from Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 April at Jaarbeurs Koninklijke Jaarbeurs.
Professionals can attend the healthcare fairs for free after registering on the Care & '25 website
Photos: Michiel Ton
