25 years of itemedical

Trust, expertise, and collaboration

How do you make the work of ICU nurses easier? The answer began in 1996 at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Rivierenland Hospital Tiel (ZRT) in The Netherlands. From a practical idea, a prototype emerged that laid the foundation for itemedical.

A quarter of a century later, CEO Peter Hof and Deputy CEO Arno Hoogland look back, and ahead: from the early days with a simple database to the growth into a leading medical software company supporting hospitals.

A story of trust, craftsmanship, and collaboration: values that will remain the foundation of itemedical for the next 25 years.

Where it all began

The idea for MediScore ICU originated in 1996 at the ICU of ZRT. The request reached Dirk Riewers, who then asked computer science student Sebastiaan Overdijk to build a prototype to replace manual ICU registration. The official start of itemedical followed a few years later, in 2000.

The founders were Dirk Riewers, Hans van der Meijden, and Eric Hesp. Sebastiaan Overdijk was involved in development from the very beginning, and Arno Hoogland joined shortly after. “It started with digitizing the admission book,” Arno recalls. “Rivierenland Hospital Tiel is still our customer today, that says a lot about the strength of our collaboration.

Practice and technology come together

From the very first version, clinical knowledge met technical expertise. Dirk contributed software expertise, Hans and Eric brought clinical backgrounds, and Sebastiaan handled the technical development. Arno added hands-on experience as an ICU nurse. “As a product specialist, I was responsible for sales, support, and implementation,” Arno recalls. “The team was small, but our roles were clearly defined.”

What started as a registration solution with APACHE II and TISS76—automating mortality prediction scores—quickly evolved. The connection with the NICE foundation in The Netherlands proved crucial for itemedical’s rapid growth.
“We continuously listened to our users. That’s still in our DNA after 25 years,” Arno adds. In 2003, Pieter Baauw joined to further develop the company.

From start-up to solid organization

Around 2010, itemedical reached a key turning point. “We were still organized intuitively,” says Arno. That changed when Peter Hof joined as CEO. With experience at Philips and NXP Semiconductors, he brought structure and focus.

“What attracted me was the combination of technology and healthcare—and the realization that smart software can truly make a difference in clinical practice,” Peter explains. Under his leadership, itemedical became more professional without losing its culture. A key outcome of that evolution was the CE-certified Medical Device Data Gateway (MDDG), launched in 2019: a solution that today forms the foundation of itemedical’s data-driven approach.

Trust as a foundation

For 25 years, trust has been the common thread: between colleagues, in customer relationships, and in long-term international partnerships with iMDsoft and Spacelabs Healthcare. “We’ve been working together since 2004/2005,” says Peter. “They chose us for our market knowledge and stayed because of our reliability and transparency, just like our customers.”

That same culture is also felt internally. “We look for people who are honest, collaborative, and want to make a difference in healthcare,” Arno adds. “Technical and clinical professionals work side by side here. That mutual understanding is a real asset within our company.”

In-house development as a conscious choice

Itemedical develops its software entirely in-house. This approach ensures quality, continuity, and agility. “We know exactly what we’re building, why we’re building it, and how it works in practice,” Arno explains. “That makes us faster, more consistent, and better aligned with clinical needs.”

Focus, growth and innovation

Today, itemedical has 35 employees with offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. The focus lies on proprietary medical software, including the MDDG with the ambition to support the entire chain of critical medical alarm management. “Our hospital-wide solutions combine reliable and validated data, quieter care environments, and clinical value,” Peter adds.

Collaboration remains key. The partnership with Yourizon, an Esprit ICT company, and SSG strengthens the international rollout of the MDDG. “A good partnership requires attention, alignment, and shared purpose—‘it takes two to tango,’” Peter emphasizes. “It only works if both sides keep investing and communicating openly.”

Ready for the future

What does the future hold? “We’ll keep doing what we do best,” says Arno. “Not trying to do everything, but excelling where we can add real value. Itemedical was born from the need to do more with data. We want to keep distinguishing ourselves as data experts in alarm management, device connectivity, and clinical research with validated data.”

Peter adds: “We want customers to know: when we deliver something, it’s right: technically, substantively, and in collaboration, without empty promises. That’s our strength—not only in the ICU but across the entire hospital, wherever data makes the difference.”

The foundation remains the same

Close to clinical practice, with reliable technology and a strong team: itemedical remains true to its roots. “We’ve grown and professionalized, but the foundation has stayed the same: trust, craftsmanship, and collaboration. That will continue to guide us for the next 25 years,” conclude Arno and Peter.

Thanks to all our colleagues, partners, and customers for the trust and collaboration that have carried us through 25 years.