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<p><strong>The current workload in healthcare facilities and community care is partly due to inefficient work schedules, says Martijn Rademakers, CEO of TONOS Care. The Nijmegen-based startup has developed a smart app that helps planners in long-term care create optimal schedules. This is achieved using artificial intelligence (AI) and human-friendly algorithms. The result: reduced absenteeism and greater job satisfaction among healthcare professionals thanks to more pleasant shifts, happier clients due to shorter wait times, and financial savings—for example, on travel costs.</strong></p><p><img src="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/w5ept_Sa1a_Hvu_HUMY_0t5_Hx_Yb58_F0_Jsg_P_Wk_P1og_Z_Ld_4061cf2b01.jpeg" alt="w5eptSa1aHvuHUMY0t5HxYb58F0JsgPWkP1ogZLd.jpeg" srcset="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/thumbnail_w5ept_Sa1a_Hvu_HUMY_0t5_Hx_Yb58_F0_Jsg_P_Wk_P1og_Z_Ld_4061cf2b01.jpeg 234w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/small_w5ept_Sa1a_Hvu_HUMY_0t5_Hx_Yb58_F0_Jsg_P_Wk_P1og_Z_Ld_4061cf2b01.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="612" height="408"></p><p>Rademakers: “No one has ever pulled off what we’re doing before. Especially when it comes to community-based care, we’re the first in the world. The technology makes it possible, but you also need the skills to make something of it—and the courage to take risks.” Thanks in part to the support of De Groeiversneller and the Oost NL Business Angels Network, TONOS Care was able to develop the application.</p><h2>The Right Care at the Right Time </h2><p>For healthcare workers, it’s often all or nothing, says Rademakers: “We ensure a balanced workload, fewer peaks and valleys per employee, without ‘split’ shifts.” Let the professionals do what they enjoy and leave the time-consuming and complicated puzzle-solving to the computer. Creating a good schedule is difficult; the complexity can quickly become overwhelming. “Our app distributes the work more effectively across a team to provide optimal care for the client.” The scheduler who knows the local situation can then easily make adjustments: “People are in charge, not AI. The schedule is fair and transparent and ensures the right care at the right time.” The client determines what the right care is in consultation with the care professional. “The client has wishes and preferences; the care professional knows her field and understands what’s possible—and what’s necessary. We consider that interaction to be very important, and that’s our starting point.”  </p><h2>‘This Is What Digitalization Is All About’ </h2><p>As a business administrator by training, she knows from experience that schedulers aren’t exactly jumping at the chance to use yet another new app: “Very experienced schedulers think, ‘We’ll believe it when we see it.’” They also think they can outsmart the algorithm. That really gets me going, and I think, ‘Give us a chance!’ Once they’ve tried it out and see that everything is transparent at lightning speed and in ‘real time’—including the visuals—we often hear: ‘That’s interesting; if it can all work like that, then we’re on board!’ A fantastic compliment was when the works council of a healthcare institution advised its Board of Directors to move forward with us. It may all sound abstract, but this is what digitization is all about: data and algorithms that support people.”</p><h2>“Growth Accelerator” Voucher “Crucial” </h2><p>After addressing inpatient care (within a facility), TONOS wanted to develop a tool for the more complex outpatient care (community nursing, community care). “With the Growth Accelerator voucher, we were able to take the next important step. The voucher was crucial for that. ‘De Groeiversneller’—you can take that quite literally. It’s not just the money, but the entire system surrounding it.” Rademakers is referring to the support provided by Oost NL, which awarded the voucher.” Oost NL asked tough questions and offered suggestions, which gave us structure and helped us set priorities. During the pandemic, all the doors close, and as a startup, we fall outside the scope of all kinds of support programs. That’s when it’s crucial to keep good people on board. Now that the app is ready, it’s almost being snatched out of our hands. Thanks to Oost NL, we were able to make progress and maintain our momentum. There’s now also interest from abroad.” Rademakers notes that Academy Het Dorp and “launching customers” Siza and Careyn also played an important role in the development of TONOS Care.</p><h2>Investor Found Thanks to Oost NL </h2><p>The co-founder continues: “Oost NL doesn’t just say, ‘Here’s your grant—good luck.’ You have to come up with a solid growth plan, and that works really well. You can bounce ideas off people who have experience, expertise, and a deep understanding of the sector. And through an investor event, I gained access to their ‘angel’ network of former entrepreneurs. I really underestimated Oost NL in that regard. A good network is so important. That network has produced key ambassadors who help us get on the radar of relevant healthcare organizations. We’re a ‘social enterprise’; everyone on our team is intrinsically motivated—money is a means, not an end. That also rules out a lot of investors. Through Oost NL’s Business Angels Network, we connected with an investor whose goal is social impact. Without Oost NL, the situation would be very different right now. We wouldn’t have found an investor or developed an outpatient tool. We’d still be plodding along; now we’re making real progress.”</p><p>There is, however, one thing the CEO isn’t entirely satisfied with: “We have a fantastic team, but it’s all men. We haven’t yet managed to bring women on board. So, if you’re interested, please get in touch!”</p><p>Through the Growth Accelerator, the province of Gelderland supports companies that want to grow. Oost NL implements the program.</p><p>Oost NL’s Business Angels Network is the premier network of private investors who dare to invest in ambitious entrepreneurs. </p>

Martijn Rademakers, Tonos Care: "Using AI to create schedules reduces the workload in healthcare"

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<p>The current workload in healthcare facilities and community care is partly due to inefficient work schedules, says Martijn Rademakers, CEO of TONOS Care. The Nijmegen-based startup developed a smart app that helps planners in long-term care create optimal schedules. This is achieved using artificial intelligence (AI) and people-friendly algorithms. The result: reduced absenteeism due to illness and greater job satisfaction among healthcare professionals thanks to more pleasant shifts, happier clients due to shorter wait times, and financial savings—for example, on travel costs.</p>