25 years of Alphatron Medical: the highs, the challenges, and the road ahead
It has been 25 years since Rotterdam-based company Alphatron Medical was founded, a company that creates flow in healthcare through innovative, digital solutions. To celebrate this special anniversary, we spoke with CEO and co-founder Harald Verloop about the company, memorable milestones of the past two and a half decades, about challenges and tips for other entrepreneurs, and what is next.
With a big company party on the iconic SS Rotterdam, Alphatron Medical celebrated their 25th anniversary earlier this year. In 25 years, Alphatron Medical has grown into a leading company in smart nursing workplaces, pharmacy automation, self-measurement kiosk for vital signs and imaging in hospitals and healthcare institutions. Harald Verloop, CEO and co-founder: “What we see in healthcare today is that there are many digital systems present, but they don’t interact well with each other yet. At Alphatron Medical, we look at all those different systems, and come up with solutions on how this equipment can be connected to each other.” Alphatron Medical creates flow in healthcare – not by starting over, but by making existing resources more efficient. “We look at what the customer is doing, signal that equipment isn’t user-friendly, and we make them more workable by using existing technologies,” says Verloop. “First, we looked to see if the solutions were for sale on the market. When that wasn’t the case, we started creating them ourselves.”
Alongside Verloop, Alphatron Medical was co-founded by Dick Slingerland. Slingerland started the company Alphatron 45 years ago and had the ambition to expand into the medical sector. “He trusted me to build this company,” says Verloop. Verloop, who joined the medical equipment field at 27, found his passion in making a meaningful societal contribution. He was inspired to build Alphatron Medical with a dedicated, driven team, continuing Alphatron’s culture and attitude. Personal experiences in recent years have further fueled Verloop’s determination to make significant improvements in healthcare.
Memorable milestones
Over the years, the company has celebrated many great successes. Which specific milestones have stuck with Verloop in all those years? “An important milestone is that we supplied a lot of equipment and mobile workplaces during the construction of the Maasstad Hospital,” he reminisces. “That was a lighthouse project for us.” In 2011, Alphatron Medical introduced their first smart mobile nursing workplace, the AMiS-PRO Smartcart. “We managed to achieve a 75% market share and become the market leader in the Netherlands with that device, so that was a very important milestone as well.”
In 2020, Alphatron Medical won the national tender from the VZVZ (Vereniging van Zorgaanbieders voor Zorgcommunicatie) to set up a national network that exchanges radiological images between all Dutch hospitals: the Twiin Portal. The VZVZ is funded by Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (ZN), the umbrella organization of health insurers in the Netherlands, and is responsible for facilitating the secure exchange of patient data within the Dutch healthcare sector. Verloop: “We had software available that allowed us to connect all hospitals in a simple but safe way, and that allowed images to be sent to another hospital at the push of a button. At the time, these exchanges were still carried out using DVDs or USB sticks, which is unimaginable now.” A key advantage of this development is that the images reach the treating doctor on time, reducing unnecessary examinations and lowering healthcare costs. In one year, Alphatron Medical linked forty hospitals and healthcare institutions to the Twiin Portal. Today, this has grown to over 130. “I think that was one of the most successful IT projects in healthcare in terms of the quality and cost savings that it has achieved. I am very proud of that. We were truly rewarded for our pragmatic approach.”
A recent milestone, is that all mobile workplaces for nurses at Erasmus MC have become smart with the Alphatron Medical AMiS-PRO, enhancing the safety and efficiency of the medication process. “Erasmus MC is a cool, innovative hospital,” says Verloop. “The people there understand that we are facing significant challenges in healthcare and need these innovative solutions.” Verloop considers Rotterdam a wonderful city to be an entrepreneur in, and it is a conscious choice that the company is still located here. “I am proud of Rotterdam. I really embrace the Rotterdam mentality ‘geen woorden, maar daden’ (‘no words, just act’), because I think that healthcare needs this very badly.”
The AMiS-PRO in use. Source: Alphatron Medical
Overcoming challenges
Despite the company’s success, it is not an easy road for innovative companies in the Life Sciences & Health sector to bring products to market. Being an entrepreneur in this challenging industry has taught Verloop many lessons, such as the value of education and change management. “Sometimes, it is denied that there are still issues in the fundamentals of healthcare,” he says. “People like to stick to what is familiar and do not always take the effort to try to change.” That is why Alphatron Medical works outside-in, involving end users in the products and offering guidance and training to teach how to work with the products. This makes it easier for healthcare professionals to adopt. “My advice to startups is: find the people who represent the general user and investigate whether they are prepared to use your new product. Early adopters often say ‘yes, you should do it!’ in their enthusiasm, but end users might resist change, saying ‘I have been doing it this way for years and I am not going to change’. Make sure the end users see the value of your product and are motivated to use it. When the product truly offers a benefit and the users experience those benefits themselves, such as saving time, they will embrace the innovation.”
In addition, Verloop is a great advocate of keeping products and patents with yourself for as long as possible. “It happens very often that large companies buy innovative startups. However, reality unfortunately shows that these products often do not see the light of day. If you have a good innovation, try to grow it on your own strength and with a socially responsible private investor. Be patient and give it time to develop. And don’t put too much value on having a business case: just start. Don’t always think, just do it.”
Looking forward
Alphatron Medical has many plans to further develop and grow the company after 25 years. “We are splitting the company,” Verloop explains. “Last January, our imaging team has become Alphatron Zorgverbinders B.V., who focus on smart imaging and cardiodiagnostic solutions in Dutch healthcare institutions. They will leave our building to their own office in front of Rotterdam The Hague Airport next year.” As Alphatron Medical is growing rapidly, the decision to separate Alphatron Zorgverbinders was made to ensure the company maintains their high quality and efficiency. “When your company exceeds 70 people, you lose a lot of time and energy in management and getting people aligned. Now, everyone can fully focus and dedicate their expertise to what they are best at.” In addition, Alphatron Medical is working to reduce the dependence on other countries and to bring production back to the Netherlands, improving their products and making the process more sustainable. This allows the company to operate with greater flexibility and tailor their solutions more to the customer.
Alphatron Medical is also actively trying to enter the international market – a challenge with new rules and different legislations. The company currently has offices in Germany and Sweden. “We are at the forefront with our mobile smartcart for nurses, and we see that leading hospitals in Europe are catching on and want our solution,” says Verloop. “It will take us 5 to 10 years to further roll this out in parts of Europe, the Middle East, and the big dream is America.”
With the company expanding, there is a growing list of vacancies. Verloop: “I like it when Alphatron Medical becomes better known in the region. I love to see talent coming our way.” Alphatron Medical is a company with a significant impact, dedicated to creating flow in healthcare. “We want to attract the right people. That is the most important thing for us. And of course, we are always open to healthcare institutions wanting to pilot and use our solutions!”
Are you inspired by Alphatron Medical’s mission to create flow in healthcare, and are you interested in collaborating with or joining the company? Take a look at their website www.alphatronmedical.com for more information or reach out to us and we can connect you.
Date: December 17, 2024
