What happens when you bring clinicians, AI experts, and healthcare leaders around one table? At Xebia's recent Executive Dinner, the answer was loud and clear: shared challenges, actionable progress, and bold ambitions for AI in healthcare.
I had the pleasure of kicking off this intimate gathering - and in this piece, I'll share the core takeaways from an evening charged with energy, candor, and forward momentum.
More Than a Dinner - A Movement
Xebia Executive Dinners are designed to go beyond the usual panels and presentations. No stages. No press releases. Just honest conversations among people who are solving real problems.
While I can't fully capture the openness and trust that filled the room, I can share what we learned - and invite you to be part of what's next. Here are the key takeaways from our July 3rd edition.
Prof. André Dekker: AI Needs Focus, Context, and Collaboration
André Dekker set the tone with a clear-eyed reminder:
AI only works when you know what you want to predict — and when you're truly willing to share data.
He showed how even experienced doctors often struggle to predict outcomes. Without data, or with the wrong data, AI becomes meaningless — or worse, misleading.
His answer? Federated learning. Instead of moving sensitive data around, bring the AI to the data. This approach respects the legal and ethical boundaries that define modern healthcare.
He championed FAIR data—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable—as the bedrock for any responsible AI initiative.
But his message went deeper:
You can't do this alone.
Without cross-functional trust, validation, and long-term collaboration, AI can quickly shift from an opportunity to a liability.
Rijnstate: Start Small, Think Big — and Focus on Value
Rijnstate showed us what it looks like when vision meets execution.. In their 'Lift-Off' project, they built a modern cloud platform and tackled real, clinical problems from day one.
What I found inspiring was how grounded their approach was:
- They focused on urgent challenges like acute pancreatitis, bed availability, and unnecessary procedures.
- They combined tech with deep medical knowledge.
- And they learned — a lot — about cloud, governance, and what actually works in practice.
What made Rijnstate's approach stand out was how deeply integrated their clinicians were in the process. They didn't adopt AI for the sake of AI. They built solutions that added real value to patient care. Their biggest asset? A "learn by doing" mindset—with doctors and nurses driving the journey.
UMC Utrecht: A Platform for Care, Knowledge, and Context
UMC Utrecht added another layer: a digital infrastructure that combines raw data with the knowledge of care professionals.
As Sven Oosterhoff put it:
Only 5% of information is in the electronic patient record. The rest lives in the minds of doctors and nurses.
Together with Dr. Teus Kappen, they're building a platform that brings meaning to data — not just for dashboards, but for real decision support.
What stood out was how they align strategy, technology, and governance:
- A clear roadmap toward an AI-ready cloud infrastructure
- Strong ties with regional and national networks
- And most importantly: a collaborative mindset
UMCU shows that this is not just about tech. It's about fundamentally rethinking how we use information in healthcare.
The Common Thread? It's Not the Tech—It's the Mindset
Across all three stories, the message was unmistakable:
- Start with the care challenge, not the technology. If AI doesn't add value to the care process, it won't last.
- Data is useless without context. FAIR data, clinical expertise, and domain relevance are non-negotiable.
- Technology is the enabler; people make the difference. No progress can be made without engaged professionals and decision-makers.
- Collaboration is everything. Local, national, cross-disciplinary—this is a team sport.
- Be bold, and be willing to learn. Every speaker showed courage — in vision, in action, and in challenging the status quo.
My Personal Takeaway
What I take with me — both as someone working at Xebia and as the partner of a nurse:
The promise of AI lies not in the algorithms, but in the connection between people and data. Between healthcare and technology. Between thinking and doing.
We can already start building better care — as long as we do it together.
A Final Thank You
To André Dekker, Sven Oosterhoff, and Rixt Altenburg—thank you for your openness and insight. And to everyone who joined us: thank you for showing up with purpose, curiosity, and candor.
Want to learn how Xebia is co-creating real-world AI solutions with healthcare organizations? Let's connect on LinkedIn. Couldn't join us this time? I'd love to keep you informed about future events. In the meantime, check AI in Healthcare Challenges and Solutions.
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