Development goes beyond software: it’s about people, processes, and the entire organisation. Together, we focus on quality, innovation, and growth.
From multinational to niche company
Fifteen years ago, Peter Hof joined itemedical as CEO. He was immediately drawn to the combination of a specialized, knowledgeable team and the critical healthcare domain. With his background in large multinationals, the move to a niche company presented an exciting new challenge. Built on a foundation of trust in himself and the team, itemedical develops medical software solutions that are both technically advanced and genuinely aligned with the daily practice of healthcare professionals.
Learning, improving, and strengthening
The first few years were intense. Many things turned out differently than expected: processes, collaboration, the quality system, and the development of medical devices all required a professional upgrade. This demanded patience, agility, and perseverance, along with continuous attention to quality improvement and new standards. “It was a challenging period, but we emerged stronger as a company,” says Peter.
Building progress together
Peter now sees an organisation with a solid foundation and a clear direction. “We can be proud of what we’ve achieved, where we started, and where we stand today,” he says. “Growth in revenue from our own software, the development of the new app itemobile, the itelogic Rule Engine, and international expansion, establishing a strong position in Belgium and taking the first steps in England, are proof of that progress.”
Memorable moments
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team quickly realized hundreds of additional ICU beds in PDMS MetaVision and the MDDG (Medical Device Data Gateway) at hospitals. What was remarkable was the way it happened: the team worked autonomously and in a multidisciplinary manner with ICU nurses, hospital IT, and medical engineering, implementing rapid remote solutions. Achieving so much in such a short time was extraordinary and offered the opportunity to make a small contribution to the healthcare challenges posed by COVID-19.
Peter also clearly remembers the cyberattack, not because of the incident itself, but because of the team’s response. “I never had to ask: do you want to do something? Never. It just happened naturally. The team’s immense dedication, involvement, and collaboration led to significant improvements in cybersecurity and process-driven cooperation.”
A strong team as the foundation
For Peter, reliability, commitment, and the acquisition and sharing of knowledge form the foundation. Success is created by the entire team: collaboration with customers, and between sales, operations, and development is essential, with everyone contributing to shared success. This approach transformed itemedical from a distributor into an organisation that develops its own software and works in a process-driven way.
At the end of the day, it’s about developing something valuable that works consistently everywhere. In healthcare, this is challenging, but over the past few years, we have made significant efforts to achieve it.
Development beyond software
For Peter, development goes beyond software alone: it encompasses people, processes, and the entire organisation. “Our own software, such as the MDDG gateway, itemobile app, and the itelogic Rule Engine, combined with international growth, enables the team to focus on quality, innovation, and progress. The entire company was involved in determining what’s best for itemedical: it has truly been a team effort.”
Peter also emphasizes the power of diversity: colleagues come from Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Team, development and change
During itemedical’s 25th anniversary, Peter highlighted three key words: team, development, and change. “Everything changes, especially in healthcare and IT. The art lies in continuing to evolve in a way that aligns with both opportunities and challenges.” When he took over as CEO, Peter was given a ship’s wheel as a symbol, with the message to keep the company on course. Fifteen years later, the team gifted him a sailing boat, a symbolic recognition of his years of leadership and navigation.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary, the team enjoyed an energetic weekend in Valkenburg, together with colleagues and partners. From a toast in the vineyard, baking Limburg pies, to mountain biking in the marl quarry: a wonderful celebration of teamwork, development, and embracing change. This anniversary highlights what has driven the company for 25 years: collaboration within the team, with customers, and with partners.
It’s not a utopia: a quiet care environment is achievable, with all relevant alarms delivered through the app.
The future of alarm management
“Our solutions support healthcare professionals in their daily work,” says Peter. The alarm management system reduces unnecessary alarms, enriches alerts with real-time clinical data and vital signs, processes multiple parameters, and enables faster responses. By silencing equipment sounds, all alarms are routed through the app, allowing nurses to manage every relevant alert safely and reliably. This reduces workload, increases safety, and allows caregivers to focus on direct patient care.
Peter adds: “It’s not a utopia: a quiet care environment is achievable, with all relevant alarms coming through the app. In practice, equipment is already being run completely silently, though still on a limited scale. We are now taking the step toward CDAS: our architecture is ready for it. Itemedical delivers a single, integrated software solution: from devices to care phones, everything within a controlled, safe, and reliable environment.”
Data as a catalyst for innovation
When asked about his future vision for itemedical, Peter responds: “I really want the parameters and data unlocked by our solution to also be used for other applications and AI solutions. We make high-frequency medical parameters available for AI applications that accelerate research, improve early detection, and optimize patient care. There is still so much to gain.”
The smart rules of itelogic enable healthcare organisations to use this data for research and apply it quickly in practice. Peter explains: “What a hospital discovers or develops should be implemented in real patient care as quickly as possible.”
Balance between work and private life
“The company is important, but balance between work and private life is just as crucial. Colleagues need to feel that space: for family, sports, or to recharge during challenging times. This is essential for a strong and engaged team.”
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