Productive Workshop with SHERPA Partners UMC Utrecht and Utrecht University. In early September 2026, we had the pleasure of visiting our SHERPA partner UMC Utrecht for a productive work meeting focused on developing a tailored methodological framework to evaluate the value of assistive technologies.

During an intensive workshop and series of brainstorming sessions, the team mapped out the potential benefits of assistive technologies from three key perspectives: 1) users such as interventional radiologists and other staff in the angiosuite, 2) patients, and 3) the overall system-level. A central focus was understanding how assistive technologies can positively influence clinical workflows and help reduce workload for healthcare professionals, while also improving outcomes for patients and the overall healthcare ecosystem.

The framework being developed goes beyond simply demonstrating the technical benefits of assistive technology. It also aims to provide practical guidance to support its implementation and adoption in real-world clinical settings.

During our visit, we also had the opportunity to observe and interact with intervention radiologists working in different fields, who shared their experience and expectations of assistive technology for tasks ranging from diagnostics to the support of operational interventions.

We at HFC, Astrid Oehme and Vaishnavi Upadrasta, would like to extend our sincere thanks to our colleagues Hans Reitsma and Toon Taris, Ewoud Schuit and Michele Daniels for the engaging discussions and shared commitment throughout the session, and to Irene van der Schaaf and her colleagues at the intervention radiology department for giving us insight into their work practices and methods used in the operating theatre, and for sharing their first-hand experience working with assistive technologies. The productive exchange has laid a strong roadmap for the next steps in this collaboration, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead.

Funded by the European Union (101194744). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative and its members