IkHerstel is an app that helps patients recover up after surgery. The app is developed by the Amsterdam UMC researchers Judith Huirne (full professor Obstetrics and Gyneacology), Han Anema (full professor Public and Occupational Health) and Jeroen de Wilde the director of the spin-out company. The app is currently being evaluated for knee arthroplasty patients in the ACTIVE trial, by the team of Carlien Straat (PhD candidate), with Jantine Maarleveld, Pieter Coenen, Judith Huirne, Han Anema, Gino Kerkhoffs and Paul Kuijer.

The Dutch health insurer VGZ work together with health care providers to invest in innovative solutions which are better for both the patient and for the general health care. For the Zinnige Zorg Award (VGZ Meaningful Care Award), 14 initiatives were shortlisted from a longlist of 200. After a popular voting round the top 5 from the shortlist was determined and an expert jury chose the IkHerstel app as the overall winner.

VGZ stated that IkHerstel is most innovative health care idea of the Netherlands in 2021. The app provides relevant information and a personalized recovery plan, before and after the surgery. The apps works like a digital personal coach and guides the patient during their whole care path and a dashboard gives insight into the progress of their recovery. The health care professional can remotely monitor the progress of the recovery of the patient. The researchers received €10.000 for further development of the app. In 2020 the app also won the regional health care innovation prize (Zorg Innovatie prijs).

Carlien Straat told about the successful implementation of iKHerstel during this year’s Amsterdam Public Health Spring Meeting. Watch her presentation about ikHerstel (min. 29:49). More information about ikHerstel (in Dutch).