In complex healthcare the focus is on patients with complex healthcare needs. Such patients have considerable healthcare needs because of multiple health problems. In her research Wilma Scholte op Reimer explores two themes, with a specific focus on complex healthcare for patients with heart problems.

Firstly, she studies case management, whereby the patient takes centre stage. This is in contrast with disease management, in which the focus is on the patient as much as possible, but a specific disease the primary reason for coming into contact with, for example, a cardiologist. Scholte op Reimer will investigate whether and how improved collaboration between case management and disease management might improve the coordination and transition in  healthcare.     

Her second research focus is on shared decision-making. Because guidelines aren’t automatically applicable to patients with extensive comorbidity and uncertainty exists about the most prudent course of action, clinical reasoning and shared decision-making are especially important within this group. Scholte op Reimer develops methods to increase the active involvement of patients and their families in medical decision-making. This can be done, for example, through digital aids for better awareness and for weighing up options, or by using aids for a more systematic referral with greater patient involvement.

Chair obvious step

Scholte op Reimer has been a long-time proponent of combining teaching, research and patient care. For instance, she has been involved in patient care at Polifysiek – an external clinic of the AMC-UvA housed at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) – since its creation 2011. At this clinic, students in physiotherapy, nursing and physical and occupational therapy treat patients in partnership with lecturers, researchers and healthcare providers from the UvA’s Faculty of Medicine.

Prior to this, she was responsible for coordinating various research projects such as an evaluation into the efficacy of stroke services (EDISSE) at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and the State of the Art studies (systematic reviews) within Radboud University Medical Center. Her most comprehensive project involved an evaluation on the application of guidelines in everyday clinical practice in the treatment and supervision of patients with a heart condition (Euro Heart Survey programme & Dutch Heart Foundation care programme).

Combining positions

Scholte op Reimer has been chair of the AUAS’s department of Health since January 2015. The combination of these two positions makes it possible to strongly link research with teaching. Prior to this, she headed the Nursing programme and was a lecturer of Evidence Based Nursing. In addition, she was a guest lecturer at the AMC-UvA. Scholte op Reimer has about 130 publications to her name, of which 70 are scientific peer reviewed publications. She is a member of the Netherlands Society of Cardiovascular Nursing (chair 2002-2005), the European Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (chair 2005-2007) and the scientific advisory board of Nursing and Care Netherlands (Verpleging en Verzorging Nederland).