The Stakeholder Conference highlights included keynotes on human‑technology complementarity, the launch of the TechConnect Index, sister project contributions and high‑level policy and innovation discussions

16^th April 2026, Utrecht, The Netherlands – the TechConnect Stakeholder Conference, held in Utrecht on 16 April, brought together researchers, hospital leaders, policymakers, industry and sister projects to explore how people and technology can work better together in Europe’s healthcare systems. Building on a first day focused on hospital case studies and practical interventions, Day 2 zoomed out to examine the broader implications for digital healthcare, skills development and policy across Europe.

From everyday practice to future roles

Opening the day, participants were invited to reflect on how digitalisation is reshaping clinical work and professional practice.

During the session “Transitions in practice – Cooperative development for digitalisation of healthcare”, Professor Cornelis van den Berg, expert in Computational Imaging for MRI therapy and diagnostics at the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU), highlighted how genuine transformation happens in the everyday practices of healthcare professionals. He underscored that successful digitalisation in healthcare depends on close cooperation between industry, academia and clinical practice, ensuring that new technologies are not just technically advanced but workable in real hospital environments.

This was followed by a keynote on “Human‑technology complementarity and our future roles” from Professor Chris Ivory of the Department of Health Sciences, Innovation and Design at Mälardalen University (MDU). His address explored what it truly means to work alongside intelligent systems and examined how roles, responsibilities and skills will evolve as AI and other advanced technologies become more deeply embedded in clinical and organisational routines.

Launch of the TechConnect Index | A compass for complementarity

A major highlight of the day was the presentation of the TechConnect Index by Dr Laura Piscicelli, Associate Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University.

Described as a “compass to guide complementarity”, the TechConnect Index is a practical tool designed to measure the affordance gap (the difference between how a technology is supposed to be used and how it is actually being used in real‑world settings). By making this gap visible, the Index supports hospitals and policymakers in identifying where digital systems align with everyday work and where they create friction.

Whether for hospital managers, policymakers or technology developers, the Index offers an evidence‑based way to inform digital transformation decisions, helping ensure that investments in AI, data platforms and automation genuinely support staff and improve patient care rather than adding complexity or stress.

Sister projects broaden the perspective

The programme then expanded beyond TechConnect itself with a session on “Transforming skills and technologies – linked cases and studies in the world of work”.

Representatives from two sister projects shared their perspectives, Brendan Patrick Sullivan from SkillAIbility (Politecnico di Milano) and Maija Hirvonen from NewWorkTech (Tampere University).

Their contributions explored how different sectors are grappling with the challenges of digital transformation, with a particular focus on skills development, organisational change and the integration of advanced technologies in real‑world settings. The discussion reinforced that human–technology complementarity is a cross‑sector challenge, and that lessons from healthcare can inform wider labour market and innovation policies.

Policy dialogue and innovation in action

In the afternoon, the conference moved into two parallel tracks that connected TechConnect’s research insights with policy and innovation practice.

• Track A – Policy workshop: the envelope for the world of work

A dedicated policy workshop on “The policy envelope for the world of work” was led by Brendan Rowan, who is responsible for stakeholder engagement and the creation of the TechConnect Toolkit.

Participants examined the regulations, frameworks and political priorities that currently shape how technology and work interact across Europe. The session emphasised that, before new policies can be designed, it is essential to understand the landscape in which organisations and workers operate – from labour market rules to digitalisation strategies and funding mechanisms. This discussion positioned TechConnect’s findings as a resource for more realistic, worker‑centred digital policies.

• Track B – Innovation site visit at UMC Utrecht

In parallel, a Digital Innovation Site Visit took place at the University Medical Centre Utrecht under the theme “The UMC Utrecht innovation journey: From idea to implementation”.

Participants were introduced to UMCU’s innovation ecosystem and saw how new digital technologies move from initial concept through clinical testing to full‑scale implementation in a complex hospital environment. The visit provided a concrete illustration of how research, clinical practice and technological development intersect in day‑to‑day hospital operations, complementing the more conceptual discussions held earlier in the day.

Day 2 concluded with a summary and closing session that drew together the core messages of the Stakeholder Conference:

• Digital transformation in healthcare must be human‑centred, focusing on how technologies interact with real workflows, professional identities and patient needs.
• Human‑technology complementarity is emerging as a key lens for understanding the success or failure of digital initiatives, with the TechConnect Index offering a new method for measuring and managing this relationship.
• Collaboration across research, clinical practice, policy and industry is essential to ensure that investments in advanced technologies translate into better work and better care.
• The Stakeholder Conference in Utrecht marked a significant step forward for TechConnect and its partners, strengthening a European community committed to making digital healthcare both effective and humane.