Digital transformation, handled with care
About the case
At the intersection between people and technology, the healthcare sector is facing major challenges – including the dual aging population of both patients and professionals. With half of its current workforce expected to retire within the next 10 years, Dutch healthcare provider Zuyderland is already feeling the impact.
When Zuyderland needed help selecting a new vendor for its electronic medical records system (EMR), the KPMG Digital Health team was proud to accept the challenge. Leveraging experience from previous projects, the team worked with Zuyderland’s many stakeholders to ensure a successful transition to a new EMR, helping to keep care accessible and sustainable for the future.
In a long and complex process like this, where the selection phase alone took almost two years, close collaboration, good communication, and mutual trust were key to success. With her unique background, former nurse Anna Vree (now Senior Manager Digital Health) naturally became a pivotal figure in the project. She explains how the EMR engagement marked the beginning of a major digital transformation journey – one in which KPMG is supporting the client every step of the way.
“It’s extremely rewarding to be able to bring together my experience from two very different professional spheres.”
In conversation with Anna
This sounds like a major undertaking. Where did it all start for you?
In 2021 Zuyderland learned that technical support for its EMR would end within the next few years. Having worked in healthcare, I can tell you from experience that this is fundamental to the day-to-day functioning of a hospital. Zuyderland didn’t have the luxury of waiting, but the pandemic was putting the healthcare sector under immense pressure. As the Digital Health team, we navigated all challenges effectively. Four years later, we’re still helping to drive the organization’s digital transformation.
How have you managed to build such a strong connection with the client?
Not only do I have many years of experience as a nurse, using the very same EMRs we were looking at, but I also knew the local dialect! It’s extremely rewarding to be able to bring together my experience from two very different professional spheres. My background has helped me to connect with the many stakeholders: more than 300 healthcare professionals were involved in the selection process, and the implementation and transformation phase affects everyone at Zuyderland. At KPMG, we believe in “clients for life,” building enduring partnerships founded on trusted, diverse, and knowledgeable teams – and that’s what Digital Health has created. We’re proud to support Zuyderland’s ongoing transformation journey, empowering healthcare professionals and enhancing patient care through technology.
Can you share more about KPMG’s approach and solution?
What started as a request for support with the EMR strategy and renewal quickly evolved into a far-reaching digitalization project. We became deeply involved in the transformation journey and have now acted as a trusted advisor on many digital health topics. What’s more, we’ve supported the full cloud transformation, laying the groundwork for innovative AI deployment. Zuyderland’s boldness in embracing technology and its strategic approach to selecting the right partners really set it apart – and we embraced this mindset to guide and accelerate this transformation. Today, Zuyderland is a digital frontrunner in the healthcare sector.
What was the biggest challenge you tackled during this engagement?
When we came on board, the client had recently been through a challenging merger. The appetite for more change was understandably low, meaning the change process was crucial in both the selection and implementation phases. Plus, when the project started, pandemic restrictions were still in place, which added more layers of complexity. Now, I’m glad we can visit regularly in person: that makes a huge difference to our collaboration.