Acute care has also become more complex, often dealing with complications of chronic disorders. At the same time, a relatively small number of cases fall within well-protocolized care pathways, such as trauma, cardiac arrest, or stroke. To address these challenges, the integration of precision medicine and advanced technologies is crucial. Precision medicine enables the delivery of personalized care by determining the most suitable treatment at the right place and time for each patient. This approach can optimize patient inflow to EDs, enhance care quality by facilitating home-based treatment when possible, and ensure hospital care when necessary. Technology supports this vision by alleviating ED staff workload, for example, through smart surveys for patient history collection, artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms for risk screening, and clinical decision support systems. These innovations aid in diagnosing acute disorders and ensuring that each patient receives the best available treatment. Additionally, wearable devices with smart algorithms enhance patient monitoring both in-hospital and remotely at home, reducing the risk of deterioration.
Our research aims to move beyond the "one size fits all" approach to acute care by developing personalized medicine for patients with an acute disease. We identify individual factors that predict response to therapy and use these to develop clinical decision support tools that enable clinicians to quickly and accurately determine the best course of treatment. We also investigate new treatments for acute illnesses by analysing patient data and biomarkers associated with disease outcomes. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes and quality of life by developing tailored approaches to acute care. The Acutelines data-biobank plays a key role in the discovery of individual factors predictive of response to therapy – such as vital parameters, electrophysiologic waveforms or biomarkers - and to use these to develop clinical decision support tools. In addition, our infrastructure serves as a sandbox for testing, implementing, and validating new technologies. At the Acute Care department of the UMCG, we are committed to developing the future of acute care through precision medicine and smart technology, ensuring its availability to all in need while improving care quality. Collaborative efforts are central, involving diverse medical and academic institutions.
Our research projects are embedded within the following research themes:
Timely recognition of the correct diagnosis and expected course is essential for providing appropriate care and making the best decisions regarding treatment and patient well-being. However, early recognition of acute illnesses can be complex as symptoms may not be fully present and biomarkers are not yet indicative. Our research aims to improve early recognition of acute illnesses and predict their course through analysis of demographic, nursing, and medical data at the organ and molecular levels. The goal is to develop screening tools/diagnostic tests, improve patient triage, develop care pathways, and conduct research on the effects of early treatment with relevant partners.
The "one size fits all" approach is often used in treatment, but it may not provide the best outcomes for every patient. In this research theme, our goal is twofold: a) to identify individual factors that can predict a patient's response to therapy, and b) to develop new treatments for acute diseases. By identifying these predictive factors, we aim to create clinical decision support tools that help clinicians select the most appropriate treatment earlier in the process. The analysis of biomarker patterns associated with disease outcomes in patients not only supports the development of novel diagnostic tools, but also informs preclinical research focused on uncovering the underlying mechanisms of disease. This knowledge can then be applied for the development of new treatments for acute diseases, which can include clinical trials at the Department of Acute Care.
An acute illness can have a significant impact on health and survival long after hospital discharge. In this research theme, we identify risk factors for the development of acute illness and investigate the effect of acute illness (and treatment) on survival and quality of life after discharge. Our goal is to a) identify high-risk groups for the development of acute illnesses, b) develop preventive measures to reduce the chance of an acute illness (or recurrence), and c) minimize the long-term impact of acute illness and honour the quality of life. Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROMs/PREMs) are measured using validated instruments that are not specifically focused on acute care. The goal is to develop and validate specific instruments that efficiently measure relevant PROMs and PREMs after an acute illness.
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Department of Acute Care
PO Box 30.001
9700 RB Groningen
The Netherlands
Visiting address
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Department of Acute Care
Hanzeplein 1
9713 GZ Groningen
