#61 - Innovating healthcare with Brian Desplinter and Jurgen De Klerck
In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of healthcare innovation through a story that caught our eye and stayed with us.
While looking into how hospitals are embracing service design and new technology, we stumbled upon a unique collaboration between AZ Groeninge, a major hospital in Kortrijk, Belgium, and Proximus NXT, the innovation arm of Belgium’s largest telecom provider. Their partnership immediately sparked our curiosity, and we were lucky enough to sit down with the two people at the heart of it.
We were welcomed in the hospital itself by Brian Desplinter, Project Lead Innovation at AZ Groeninge, and Jurgen de Klerck, Business development manager at Proximus NXT. Together, they’re experimenting with new ways to deliver care, grounded in design thinking, co-creation, and technology. From setting up the first private 5G network in a Benelux hospital to testing real-time monitoring and remote consultations, they walk us through how innovation can move from concept to practice.
We talk about what it really takes to introduce change in complex environments like hospitals, and how cross-sector partnerships can unlock new possibilities.
We left this conversation feeling inspired and we hope you will too!
Curious for more?
More about the 5G project (NL)
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