Junior researcher Health Technology Assessment and Sustainable Healthcare MUMC+

at  Maastricht UMC

JOB REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for a curious and ambitious academic with a strong quantitative background.

• A Master’s degree in a related field such as health sciences or health economics is an advantage;
• Acquired training and/or practical experience in costing studies or economic evaluation;
• Demonstrated keen interest in the subject matter;
• Proven capability to function effectively both independently and within a collaborative team setting;
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English, accompanied by good communication skills;
• Proficiency in Dutch would be a valuable supplementary skill, in particular for communication with Dutch stakeholders.

For this position you need to be able to provide a statement of conduct (“Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag”, VOG).
Hoe ziet je werkomgeving er uit?

We are seeking a junior researcher to join our research team as an ambitious PhD student on the CAREFREE (Creating A healthieR Environment for FutuRE patiEnts) project that aims to determine how patient care in the hospital can be optimally adjusted to reduce the environmental impact as much as possible.
The Dutch healthcare accounts for 7-8% of the total national greenhouse gas emissions. In hospitals, at least 20% of this is related to the operating theatre. This includes waste, inhalation gases for anaesthesia, energy for air refreshment, and medicine residues in wastewater. To change the behaviour of all stakeholders, the CARFREE project assembled a diverse team to make the operating theatre greener by gaining insight into the biggest polluters. The project aims to fill knowledge gaps with regard to environmental impact but also to provide tools that enhance trust, acceptance, and a change in behaviour. The project leader is prof. dr. N. Bouvy of the Maastricht University/MUMC and the project is funded by NWO through the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant’s ‘Collaboration in mission-driven innovation’ (NWO-KIC). The project is also introduced in a short video.
The research will be executed by a consortium with partners from the universities and university medical centres of Maastricht, Amsterdam, and Nijmegen, in collaboration with a wide range of companies and stakeholders such as B-Braun-Medical, the Netherlands Patient Federation, and the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM).
Health Technology Assessment within the CAREFREE project
The focus in the project is on the environmental impact of removing the gallbladder through laparoscopic procedure. Health technology assessment (HTA) is an important part of the research. HTA is a multidisciplinary discipline that uses different methods to determine the value of health interventions for society. In the context of sustainability and the impact of environmental effects of the CAREFREE project, this means that you will perform costing studies in collaboration with the project partners to investigate the health care costs of alternative courses of action. In addition, you will work on literature reviews to examine outcomes for different strategies related to gallbladder surgery. There is also the opportunity to work on a broader methodological theme, depending on your interests, for example on how to assess and incorporate the environmental impact of health technologies in health economic evaluation and HTA analysis.
Every day of the week is different! You will meet with your supervisors once a week, join department and research meetings, CAREFREE consortium meetings, and meet up with other CAREFREE PhD students and partners. Most of your week, however, is spent on conducting research activities. In addition, there will be opportunities to take courses that are relevant for your personal and academic development, and present your work at (inter)national conferences.
Wat vragen wij van jou?