Leading Maria Middelares Into the Future as Chief Medical Officer

Ronny Goethals has been a gynaecologist at AZ Maria Middelares since 1992, where today he also serves as Chief Medical Officer. Under his leadership, the Ghent hospital was the first in Flanders to put the SPM software system into, well, operation last year. It ensures that all steps of a surgical procedure are displayed on a screen during surgery, so nurses and assistants can clearly see what to do and when. Thanks to this smooth communication during an operation, there are fewer work interruptions, which means that an operation takes less time and the risk of complications is reduced.

Ronny Goethals also told Belgian news outlet VRT NWS that SPM has a positive influence on the mental well-being of both the team and the patient. "Because of the system, the surgical team has less stress and more attention during surgery," the doctor said. "Moreover, by further reducing the risk of complications, patients tend to be able to go home faster after their surgery, which also increases patient satisfaction."