Healthcare Organizations in Northern Netherlands Secure Government Funding for Elderly Care Innovation
Groningen, Friday, 19 December 2025.
Two major elderly care providers, Noorderzorg and De Hoven, successfully obtained innovation subsidies with support from Health Noord’s strategic innovation program. The funding emerged from Health Noord’s ‘Leergang Innovatiekracht XXL’ course, where fifteen healthcare professionals learned to drive organizational change. The subsidy will finance new technologies specifically designed to improve quality of life for elderly residents across northern Netherlands facilities, marking a significant investment in addressing the region’s aging population challenges.
Strategic Innovation Program Drives Collaborative Success
The innovation subsidy represents a direct outcome of Health Noord’s ‘Leergang Innovatiekracht XXL’ program, which ran from May to October 2025 with fifteen professionals from various healthcare organizations participating [1]. Carmen de Vries, project manager for quality, innovation and development at Noorderzorg in Delfzijl, highlighted how the program transformed organizational perspectives: ‘The course made us look differently at ourselves and at organizations with similar challenges. The site visits are very educational. It leads to valuable conversations and lasting contact. This is how we, together with De Hoven, an organization for elderly care in North Netherlands, with support from Health Noord, obtained an innovation subsidy’ [1]. A second group of participants began the program in November 2025, demonstrating the continued demand for strategic innovation training in the healthcare sector [1].
Educational Foundation and Real-World Problem Solving
Health Noord’s approach combines strategic professional development with student engagement through its biannual Gezondheidschallenge events [1]. Job van ‘t Veer, lecturer in Digital Innovation in Care and Welfare at NHL Stenden, explained the program’s design philosophy: ‘Innovation Power XXL had to be both demand- and people-oriented. That’s why we asked strategic professionals where they encounter obstacles and what they need to truly influence change. Based on that, we shaped the course’ [1]. The fourth edition of the Gezondheidschallenge took place in November 2025, continuing the organization’s tradition of involving students in practical healthcare problem-solving [1]. According to Carmel Thijssen, project leader for Health Noord at Hanze, approximately 1,200 mbo and hbo students from diverse fields have participated since the challenge’s inception, expanding from its original focus on hbo Management in Care students [1].
Regional Technology Adoption and Care Innovation
The innovation subsidy aligns with broader regional efforts to integrate technology into elderly care across northern Netherlands. TZA Drenthe-Groningen, the regional Technology & Care Academy founded in 2017, focuses specifically on awareness, adoption, acceptance, and implementation of care technology in practice [3]. On December 16, 2025, TZA conducted an interactive inspiration session with colleagues from De Hoven at their Damsterheerd location, where products were tested and accounts were created for the TZA ProbeerService [3]. This collaboration demonstrates the interconnected nature of healthcare innovation efforts in the region, with multiple organizations working together to advance care technology adoption.
Future Implementation and Regional Impact
The successful subsidy application positions Noorderzorg and De Hoven to implement specific technological solutions for elderly care, though the exact nature of the innovations remains to be detailed [alert! ‘specific technology details not provided in sources’]. The partnership represents part of Health Noord’s broader mission to connect care, welfare, education, research, entrepreneurship, and government to maintain healthcare accessibility and affordability [1]. With organizations like TZA planning to introduce new care technologies such as the Raizer fall-assistance device and Meddy Bear relaxation aid through their lending service starting January 2026, the northern Netherlands region is positioning itself as a hub for healthcare technology innovation [3]. The collaborative approach between educational institutions, care providers, and innovation organizations creates a sustainable framework for addressing the challenges of an aging population through technological advancement.