The Netherlands has positioned itself as an emerging medtech powerhouse, with more than 1,100 healthcare technology startups – more than three times as many relative to population size when compared to neighbouring Germany.
The meteoric rise of the healthtech industry can be attributed to increasing costs for healthcare (which were up by approximately €9 billion in the Netherlands last year); the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated medical innovations; and the exponential growth of emerging technologies such as data and machine learning, with many exciting applications for the medical field.
The healthcare technology landscape is changing, as more patients in the Netherlands are seeking treatments not just in a clinical setting, but also from home. The future of medical care will be a combination of treatments overseen by doctors and autonomous and remote treatment, which empowers patients to address health issues faster and more efficiently.
“There is a shift from the traditional healthcare approach to a blended healthcare space,” says Mike Verhiel, CEO of Psylaris. “This transition is partly forced by the aftermath of COVID-19 and the ever-increasing demand for healthcare. Slowly, the Netherlands and other countries have come to the conclusion that it’s impossible to keep up with the demand without building a scalable healthcare sector. Overall, I would describe the current medtech landscape as positive and hopeful with many opportunities for upcoming innovations.”
Barriers to growth
The digitalisation of the healthcare technology field in the Netherlands has exciting potential, but there are several barriers that are impeding its growth. “Digital health can potentially solve a lot of issues in every aspect of healthcare. Connectivity, automation, and advanced analytics lead to higher quality care, with more attention to the wishes of patients and caregivers,” says Arne Bouma, Business Director of SkinVision.
However, Bouma points out that the Netherlands’ decentralised healthcare system presents some unique challenges, like managing priorities, promoting cooperation between stakeholders, scaling up local initiatives, and monitoring the nationwide implementation of digital healthcare.
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