INNOVATION IN PRIMARY CAREFueled by a change in the healthcare financing system, health care organisations are urged to evaluate and innovate. This provides investigators in the health care field with a valuable opportunity for high-quality research. I created a research team of four PhD students who evaluated standard care using routine medical data. Through collaboration with patients and health care professionals, my team implemented innovations to address common challenges. This team was funded by a large healthcare organisation, a healthcare insurance company and Maastricht University. We performed two large randomised trials; one evaluating an e-Diagnostics application for mental health and one focused on nurse practitioner counselling for smokers. A key element of this research was to tailor the research to the needs of the healthcare professionals. I managed this team and coached the PhD students. During this period I further developed my skills in research methodology, mainly randomised trial design.

INNOVATION IN ETHIOPIAThrough trainings on research methodology in Ethiopia, I got to know six very bright Ethiopian researchers who requested my supervision of their PhD studies. Topics chosen by each individual represent important areas of study in many developing countries, such as tuberculosis, child undernutrition and maternal care. The research was funded by Dutch and Spanish foreign aid scholarships. I learnt more about transcultural communication and the unique benefits and challenges of working in low-resource settings.

COPD IN NORWAYIn 2009, Tromsø University, Department of Community Medicine recieved funding to coordinate a large European qualitative study on the challenges in COPD management. I coordinated this study in partnership with a colleague from Tromsø. Data collection took place in six countries (Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Russia and Hong Kong). Data collection and collaboration went very smoothly in all countries, resulting in several publications and the establishment of a strong, cohesive network. My other work in Tromsø involves co-supervising PhD students and systematic reviews on methodology of diagnostic intervention studies.