AI and data as strategic drivers for a future-proof healthcare

The challenge

In the Netherlands, one in seven people work in healthcare; if we don't make changes, this number will rise to one in four by 2030. The reason? A growing group of people who need care, combined with tightness in the labor market. We need to design our care differently, in which case digitization and AI may be an important part of the solution. That’s why many healthcare organizations are struggling with the following question: where do we deploy AI, how do we organize it and how do we ensure support among employees? This also applied to Zuyderland Medical Center. Here, as in many hospitals, AI initiatives were fragmented and small-scale, and there was a strong need for coordination and clear choices in applications that would deliver concrete results. This required a strategic direction in line with daily healthcare practice.

The approach

Together with Zuyderland, KPMG developed a data and AI strategy that not only sets direction for innovation, but also builds organisation-wide support.

The process started bottom-up. Through masterclasses, employees were introduced to the potential of data and AI. Interactive workshops then gathered input from across the organisation. This approach, referred to by Zuyderland as “the wisdom of the crowd”, generated over fifty ideas for potential applications.

With this strategy, we take the next step in our digital healthcare transformation and arrive at concrete impactful applications of AI to support our healthcare professionals, patients, clients and business operations. The strategy was created in close collaboration with a large group of employees from across the group (“Wisdom of the crowd”). As a result, I am confident that we are moving in the right direction together, which is in line with our (future) work at all times.

Esther Talboom

Board of Directors Zuyderland

Based on this input, four strategic priorities were defined. These focus on reducing administrative burden, improving the alignment between care demand and supply, enabling new models of care such as AI-supported diagnostics, and advancing more personalised care

The strategy was then translated into concrete execution plans. This included shaping the data and AI operating model, defining collaboration with technology partners, and determining how new solutions should be implemented. A clear decision framework was also developed to assess when to buy, build, or co-create solutions.

The result

With this strategy in place, Zuyderland has a clear roadmap for scaling the use of data and AI. A central, dedicated team drives the development and implementation of AI applications, working closely with healthcare professionals to ensure solutions fit seamlessly into daily practice and are adopted more quickly.

Alongside this, an organisation-wide AI community acts as a knowledge and service hub. It encourages knowledge sharing, sparks new initiatives, and strengthens alignment across projects. Through focused investment in a modern data and cloud infrastructure, Zuyderland has built a solid foundation for scaling AI. This not only accelerates innovation, but also creates room to address growing healthcare challenges more effectively.

The team that made the difference

A multidisciplinary KPMG Netherlands team supported Zuyderland in developing and implementing its data and AI strategy. By combining deep expertise in AI and data with knowledge of healthcare processes and digital transformation, they created an approach that drives both innovation and adoption across the organisation.