The Healthy Professionals programme has been ongoing at Radboudumc for the past year. With the help of a personal coach, employees learn how they can organise their lives in a healthier way.
Co-initiator Kees van Laarhoven, head of surgery, hopes to start a broader lifestyle movement. A hospital's responsibility is not only to provide care, but also to keep healthcare affordable for future generations. That is why Radboudumc started this project. Leon van Halder, chairman of the Radboudumc Board of Directors: "Our healthcare really has to change to remain affordable. From simply treating patients to the prevention of diseases. As a hospital, we have to take the lead in that."
Van Laarhoven: “This results in healthier employees who experience a better flow, are more productive, fun to be around and sociable. And because of that, you will also have less absence, which is another plus for the organization. Healthcare professionals are absent more often than employees in other sectors. This is mainly due to stress and hard work. That is also why the programme mostly focuses on healthcare professionals." Van Laarhoven explains that the programme also functions as a way to question the working culture: "In the past, it was not acceptable to talk about, for example, lack of sleep. Now that the culture is starting to turn around, it becomes a little easier to talk about it.”
