prof. dr. Pim Assendelft

About Pim Assendelft

Prof Dr Willem J.J. (Pim) Assendelft has been professor of Prevention in Healthcare at Radboud University Medical Center since 2019. He was previously director of the Dutch Cochrane Center and head of the Guideline Development and Science Policy department at the Dutch Society of General Practitioners. From 2004 - 2012 he was professor of General Medicine and head of department at the LUMC (Leiden) and from 2013 - 2018 he held the same positions at Radboud university medical center. He is research Group Leader of Prevention in Healthcare'' within the ELG department.

He is the 'research' domain representative in the Radboud University Medical Center-wide Prevention Team (P-team). He is also chairman of the 'prevention' tile of the Medical and Health Sciences Sector Plan for Radboud University Medical Center. He is a steering group member of 'We are Green, Healthy and in Action Nijmegen'.

Pim contributes to various national advisory councils: Scientific Advisory Council Institute for Positive Health, advisory committee for Future Forecast on Public Health RIVM, Taskforce Knowledge Agenda Prevention (National Science Agenda / ZonMw), working group ''Guidelines'' of the Lifestyle Coalition, working group Prevention of the NFU (collaborating UMCs) .

He was chairman of the committee that published the Health Council's report "Research that makes you better", which advised how the research of the UMCs can be even better connected to current social issues and can contribute more to the quality and affordability of prevention and healthcare. In 2018, he was also chairman of the working group of the 4 national general practitioner associations that further developed the 'core task of Prevention' after the 'Woudschoten-2 conference' on core tasks and core values ​​of general practice medicine.

Within Radboud University Medical Center he is a member of the Personal Grant Committee and 'spokesperson' of the Healthcare-related prevention Research program.

Based on his appointment in 'Prevention in Healthcare', he conducts research into the significance of the growing attention to prevention for healthcare practice. Lifestyle in the consulting room. The research within his chair includes research into the role of health professionals and expectations of patients in the field of prevention and lifestyle. In addition, research into what is needed to optimize the interaction between health worker and patient in this area, such as the question of what type of ICT can provide support or which generic competencies need to be trained.

He also investigates what prevention in healthcare means for the organization of healthcare within Radboud university medical center and in the region. What preconditions are needed, what expertise? In the long term, prevention activities, such as pre-habilitation or aftercare for cancer, will also move from the hospital to primary care, due to the volume and the desire to provide care as close as possible to the patient's living environment. What does this mean, and how can this be designed? The results of this research are also important for training and education in this area. Finally, attention is paid to what the meaning is for the content of care. Where are opportunities to achieve a reduction in medication use or other healthcare use through behavioral change? This topic is addressed through (systematic) literature research and intervention research.

Pim is committed to education in the field of lifestyle prevention in the medicine curriculum and general practitioner training. He is co-founder of the 'Prevention and lifestyle' working group of the Dutch Association for Medical Education.

Additional Functions

• Vice chair ZonMw (funding agency) committee Dementia [Vice-voorzitter ZonMw commissie Dementie]
• National Institute for Public Health and the Environment scientific advisory board monitor Oral health [RIVM Wetenschappelijke Advies Commissie Monitor Mondgezondheid]
• Steering committee collaboration We are Green, Healthy and Active Nijmegen [Stuurgroep Wij zijn Groen, Gezond en In beweging Nijmegen]
• Chair working group Guidelines of the Lifestyle coalition [Voorzitter werkgroep Richtlijnen Leefstijlcoalitie]
• Working group Prevention of the Federation of University Medical Centers (NFU) [Werkgroep Preventie Nederlandse Federatie UMC's (NFU)]
• Panel Committee Health Research Board Ireland Advisory board Future forecast Public health [Begeleidingscommissie Toekomstverkenning Volksgezondheid RIVM]
• Supervisory board Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing [Raad van Commissarissen Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing]
• Inspiration council iResearch [Inspiratieraad IResearch]
• Supervisory board Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing [Raad van Commissarissen Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing]