Case Study: A Man-Made Blue Zone in the Netherlands
This case analysis shows how inter-organizational collaborations can lead to improvements in policymaking and real-world outcomes. It looks at how the Healthy Ageing Network Northern Netherlands (HANNN) was created as a 'triple-helix' network organization with partners in research institutes, government bodies, and businesses.
How can more collaborations like this lead to sustainable innovation for societies?
Conclusion
The paradigm shift that the UMCG has gone through during the last decade, from a 'disease-focused' to a 'health-focused' vision, has taken time and a great deal of effort from its leadership. And while it is still far from complete in some aspects, such as programmes for employees, there have already been significant successes both for the UMCG and the University of Groningen as a whole. A knowledge-based institution with thousands of highly-trained professionals behaves like an oil tanker in the open sea: a course adjustment only gradually becomes visible: the implementation of the 2010 strategy for Groningen has led to an ongoing rise up the global rankings since 2013.
The rapid conversion of key leaders within the organization has led to their acknowledgement that, by opting for Healthy aging, the UMCG is now a forerunner in current thinking about healthcare. This success has rapidly created a supportive atmosphere. Indeed, since Healthy aging translates into Preventive, Predictive, Personalized, and Participatory (P4) Medicine, this choice has created a leadership role for the UMCG in various respects that has translated into visible and quantifiable outcome parameters.