Data and data access

Rondom’s data platform contains data on more than 800,000 patients and clients and continues to grow daily. This platform brings together data from various parts of the organisation, including the electronic patient records of podiatrists, chiropodists, lifestyle coaches, occupational therapists and psychologists. In addition, the platform contains data from occupational health services, our own wholesale business, mobile applications, pressure measurement equipment, patient questionnaires and other digital applications.

In addition to data from mainstream healthcare, Rondom is collecting an increasing amount of data on health, lifestyle and functioning before the need for care arises. This is in line with our shift from reactive care to proactive health: identifying issues earlier, providing preventative support and implementing appropriate interventions. This data offers new opportunities to monitor health at an early stage and to develop and evaluate preventative interventions.

Where possible, internal data is also enriched with external data sources, such as data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Combining these different data sources provides a rich and comprehensive picture of health, functioning, lifestyle and the environment in which people live.

The platform offers, amongst other things:

• Clinical data from everyday healthcare practice
• Patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) and experiences (PREMs)
• Intake and follow-up questionnaires
• Pressure measurement and movement data
• Lifestyle and prevention data
• Data from occupational health services
• Linked external data sources, such as RIVM or CBS data
• Data from mobile applications and digital monitoring

All data is collected, checked and managed in accordance with established quality procedures, so that researchers have access to reliable and useful research data.

The data platform supports both internal and external researchers throughout the various phases of a research project.

Researchers can use the platform for, amongst other things:

• Identifying and selecting potential participants for research
• Compiling research datasets
• Carrying out a file review
• Obtaining baseline data
• Data science and AI projects

Among other things, the platform has supported patient recruitment for various external research projects, including:

• The validation of the RADAI
• Research into treatment adherence among rheumatism patients (Adherence study)
• Foot assessment for hallux rigidus (osteoarthritis of the big toe).

The data platform forms the basis for innovative data science applications. By combining large amounts of clinical and preventive data, patterns can be identified that are difficult to detect using traditional analyses.

Within Rondom, data scientists, clinical epidemiologists and healthcare professionals work closely together on the development of, amongst other things, predictive models, machine-learning applications and clinical decision support. One example of this is the development of a dashboard which, based on comparable patient profiles, provides insight into the different care pathways patients have followed, the interventions they have received and the associated treatment outcomes. These insights can help to better understand which healthcare interventions are effective for which patient groups, thereby supporting the further personalisation of care.

By linking science, data and clinical practice, we create a learning healthcare system in which new knowledge can directly contribute to better care.

Responsible data management is central to Rondom’s data platform. Personal data is carefully protected and processed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Data set requests are assessed in accordance with established procedures. This involves considering, amongst other things, the research question, the availability and quality of the data, privacy aspects and the legal basis for use. Depending on the type of research, datasets are pseudonymised or anonymised before being made available for analysis. Only authorised staff have access to data necessary for their work.

Researchers wishing to use the data platform can submit a research request. Each request is assessed to determine which data are available, whether they are suitable for the research question, and under what conditions access can be granted.

Rondom considers it important that health data is handled carefully and transparently. That is why we also inform patients about the reuse of healthcare data for scientific research, the protection of personal data and the choices they have in this regard. You can read more about this on the page Reuse of healthcare data for research.